Vijay came after his jogging and ask Simi to take a tea. As usual, he sits on the sofa with the newspaper waiting for his tea. While going through the news, he never thought that the newspaper will welcome him with the worst news ever.
A news along with the pictures of 5 people whom he knows well shocked him to the core
‘5 people in a family killed as a two storey house collapses in Hyderabad’.
He go through the details of the news. Hari (27 years, a bank employee in State Bank of India), his wife Laya (24 years,doctor in a private hospital) , their daughter Haya (1 year) , Hari’s father Surendar ( 57 years, Retd. Govt Employee) and his wife Sarathaa (50 years, housewife )were the persons who died in the accident. ‘Illegal construction and carelessness in selection of building properties lead to this disaster, says police.’
Vijay felt as he is unable to move or even open his mouth to call his wife. He sat their as like a stone.
1 year back
Vijay was in front of the labour room in a mixed motion of anxiety, and fear. He felt like he was waiting there for hours. At that time he noticed the man sitting in front of him. Vijay went to him and introduced himself as a civil engineer. The opposite person introduced him as Hari, PO in SBI. They had a small chit-chat till the nurse came and announces that Laya Hari gave birth to a baby girl. Hari eagerly went to her and received the baby. The emotion he had gone through then was unexplainable. Vijay could see that in the filled up eyes of Hari. Same scene repeated after 1 hour when Simi gave birth to a baby girl. Every emotions are same even though the person and the way of execution differ.
Hari and Vijay were in the adjacent rooms. Two days in the hospital made them quite closer. Both of them were able to know about each other well during that time.
Hari was staying in a home for rent. He would like to built a new home. He discussed the matter to Vijay as he is a civil engineer. He told Hari about the new flat project of Akshaya Groups in which he is the engineer. He adviced to buy one flat from it as it will finish within 3 months. Hari responded that he was not interested in buying somebody’s plan and He had so many ideas for his dream home.Vijay cautioned him that it is costly to build a new home. Not only cost but somebody should always be their in the building site. It is a risk to built a home was his overall opinion. But Hari was not ready to change his decision and asked vijay whether he could take the project. Vijay reminded him about the project of Aksaya and said that he was busy with that then. Hari requested him to take the project as he will not worry about it if his friend is the engineer. Vijay agreed as he had no other option and the work started on the very day of their baby’s naming ceremony and Hari gave 15 lakhs as first settlement.
A huge financial crisis occur in Akshaya’s project because of Vijay’s foolishness and he became the sole reason for the loss of money. The company warned him that they take legal actions unless he finishes the flat as per the agreement. Vijay withdrew the bank balances of both him and his wife and borrowed some money from his friends. When he felt lack of money still, he took Hari’s 10 lakh rupees and finished the project. Gradually the work of Hari’s dream home stopped. Hari who came to visit the construction hadn’ d seen anyone for weeks. Whenever Hari called vijay , he said some excuses like there was a small problem with employees or he is out of state or sometimes he didn’t pickup the phone.
Hari became restless and anxious about his home. He discuss this with Laya.She comforts him by saying that Vijay will take care of everything as he is a nice person and a good engineer who will never cheat them. Hari, indeed, didn’t feel any doubts on Vijay’s character but the uncertainty of his home arouse a fear in him.
Vijay was terribly upset to see Hari’s calls. He always escaped from his sight. After a while, he found a solution he pledge all the gold ornaments of Simi for 3 lakh rupees and bought some materials of low cost.
Vijay called Hari and informed about the restart of the work. Hari felt a great relief in knowing that. He was never a regular visitor to the site daily.The agreement of first settlement finished with the concrete of first floor.Vijay went to Hari’s home for next settlement. He got a warm welcome from the family and he pampered Haya who share the same birthday of his daughter. Hari explained him about his anxiety when the work was stopped and how they overcame it. Another 15 lakhs was given to Vijay by Hari as the second and last settlement. While giving the money, Hari explained debt , bank loan, wife’s gold and father’s PF constitute that money. Vijay understood that Hari spend all he had for his dream home.
Work started again and finished in no time. Hariand his whole family were super happy to see their dreams come true. Hari was too emotional and that was evident from his broken words. He thanked Vijay so many times for making his dream come true without knowing that he was chested. Hari’s words made Vijay guilty. But at the very same time he thought nothing bad will happen even if we build a home with materials of low cost. So many people are using this day by day just for profit and nothing bad had happened yet. He even justified his mistake by thinking that he hadn’t done this for mere profit. It was his pathetic conditions made him do so. For him it was not a crime just a small adjustment that most of the engineers do.
They celebrated the house warming day in a grand manner and happiness and satisfaction were evident in the face of the Hari and his whole family. But they would have never thought their biggest dream will become the reason for their death. Life is sometimes like that: when we hope for the best , it gives us the worst.
Vijay wakeup from his thoughts hearing the non stop crying of his daughter. He thought of Haya who is of same age. She is no more now and he is the sole reason for the death of a whole family. He started weeping uncontrollably.He even talked to Hari the day before for a long hour till the heavy rainfall and thunderstorms interrupted their call. The person who talked him a day before become a newspaper report today. The way Hari treated him and believed him made his Guiltly feeling deepend. The small adjustment ,he thought, became the reason of 5 people’s death which means he is the culprit. He killed his close friend and family . He stole all their savings, he cheated them and atlast killed them. How can he get rid of from the responsibility of 5 deaths. He understood that he can never escape from the guilt. The court of his conscience decides the punishment of his crime which eventually resulted as the headlines of newspaper the following day.
‘A civil engineer commit suicide by hanging himself for unknown reason’
–END–
