Here comes the prologue & Part 1 of the story.
In the woods
Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) a brief background:
Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary was constituted over 760 sq.kms of which Buxa tiger reserve covers around 117 sq. kms.
Location: Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) lies in Alipurduar district of West Bengal. Its northern boundary runs along the international border with Bhutan. The Sinchula hill range lies all along the northern side of BTR and the eastern boundary touches that of the State of Assam . National Highway No.31 roughly runs along its southern boundary.
Nearest airport: Bagdogra near Siliguri (175 Km. away)
Nearest Railway station:Alipurduar Junction / New Alipurduar - 37 km
Nearest town: Alipurduar - 35 km
Some other attractions: Buxa Fort and Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.
PROLOGUE:
With an extremely bio-diverse ecosystem representing the highly endemic Indo-Malayan region and comprising a part of the Terai Eco System, the Buxa Tiger Reserve lies close to the international border and shares boarder with Bhutan. It encompasses as many as eight forest types and covers an area of 117 square kilometers housing some of the rare species of animals and birds like Tigers, Asian Elephants, Leopard Cats, Bengal Floricans, Regal Pythons, Hispid Hares, Hog Deer, Slender-billed Vultures, Great Hornbills and many more. Some of the common animal species that can be easily captured are Gaur, Wild Boar, Sambar, Civets, Chital and Elephants. Amongst the bird species the Wagtails, Common Teals, Black Stork, Large Whistling Teal and Minivets are easily spotted.
A lesser known paradise (BTR) with its lush green valley, meandering rivers with snow clad mountains in the backdrop offers absolute peace to all of one's five senses and serenity to one's soul.
About 30 kms deep inside the perimeter of Buxa, the office of Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) is situated surrounded by the forest bungalows of the ranger and other officials & staffs. The place is locally called Jayanti which is literally around 40 kms away from any of its nearest locality.
Though tourism is not allowed inside the core area of the BTR yet, a few tourists were allowed at times subject to prior permission from the Department of Forests & environment, Govt. of India.
The otherwise peaceful place becomes un-restful at times due to some smugglers of woods & animal skin mafias. However, the situation is being strictly controlled by the forest officer & ranger Arjun Rawte and this team of efficient officers and staffs for last 3 years, i.e., after Arjun Rawte took charge of BTR.
Arjun has his own reasons to be happy in the solitude of the forest and lives alone in the ranger's bungalow inside the forest at jayanti about 200 meters from the forest office of BTR. He has a cook cum attendant, Ramu kaka to look after him.
Adjacent to Arjun's wooden bungalow is an otherwise deserted guest bungalow, where guests are sometimes accommodated.
Next to the guest bungalow are the bungalows of Shreekant Sen (Shree) & Chandrakant Patil (Chotu) - Second officers of BTR.
Current danger to the forest: Sikander and his gang of wood & animal skin smugglers.
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PART- 1
Last week of July, the onset of the rainy season has already taken place a couple of weeks ago in this part of the country. Being situated in the heavy rainfall zone this forest witnesses about 3750 to 4100 mm of annual rainfall.
Time: 6:30 pm
Weather: Very heavy rainfall with occasional thunder storm.
Scene: Landline telephone ringing in the BTR office.
Sharma (a staff): Hello!... BTR office, who's speaking?
Caller: May I talk to ranger sir?
Sharma: I'm sorry, sir is out to the town at the moment, if your need is urgent, you can leave a message, I'll pass it on to him when he returns.
Caller: There is a chance that tonight a group of poachers (meaning- illegal animal hunters & smugglers of animal skin) would smuggle leopard skin to Bhutan from north-eastern side of the Buxa fort and there are also possibilities...
The line went dead.
Sharma: Hello...hello...who's speaking? Can you hear me? Hello? Hello...?
Sharma hurried to Shree's cabin.
Sharma: Sir... we just got an anonymous call about animal smuggling tonight at north-eastern corner of the Buxa fort.
Shree dialed Arjun's number swiftly.
Arjun: Hello Shree! Anything important?
Shree: Yes sir, Sharma just got a call informing about animal smuggling to Bhutan near north-eastern corner of the Buxa fort tonight.
Arjun: Hmm... Shree prepare the team for raid. I'll be back within an hour. Arrange for police back-up but make sure they don't get any clue about the place of the raid. Ask them to report near the Mahakaleshwar temple at 8:30 sharp.
Shree: Sir!
Shree informs Chotu about the entire operation. He gets busy in preparing the team, arranging police back-ups and following other necessary protocols.
Arjun returns to BTR office at 7:20 pm. He heads straight to Shree's cabin & starts checking all the necessary arrangements.
At around 8:00 pm, team headed by Arjun starts from their base not caring the heavy shower & thunderstorm outside.
At 8:30 pm team meet the police team and started to chalk out a plan to cover the whole area and stop the probable smuggling to Bhutan.
After about 15 minutes of intense planning, they decided to execute the same. They divided themselves into 4 groups and tried to cover the entire north-eastern corner of the fort, though in disguise. Arjun is heading team 4. Rains are pouring in mercilessly with occasional thunder making it all the more difficult to keep a watch in the woods.
After about a couple of hours, around 10:45pm team 2 reported a dim light of a vehicle approaching the fort from the south-western part of the forest towards the northern gate of the fort.
Arjun on his head phone: All teams be alert... perimeter breach confirmed...2 mini-vans approaching northern gate... Team 1, 2 & 4 steadily move in towards north gate... Team 3...disperse & secure the perimeter.
Team leaders of team 1, 2 & 3: Copy that sir.
After about 5 minutes two mini-vans, entered the northern gate of the fort.
Then suddenly there was a huge thunder stuck. One of the mini-van drivers got a glimpse of one of the policemen and they started speeding their vehicle faster.
Arjun: Team, hold your fire, let them move in a little further.
Team leaders of team 1, 2 & 3: Roger that sir.
Then the drivers posed a sudden attack on them. They were in total 4 men in two vehicles. Arjun took an aim and even under such heavy shower, blew up 3 tyres of the two vans. The vehicles now have gone out of control of the drivers and they were forced to stop their vans. They started firing aimlessly.
Arjun: Team fire at will... I want these bustards...dead or alive!
Team: Affirmative!
Then there were countless rounds of firing from both the sides. But since the smugglers were fewer in number as compared to the raid team, they gave in and all 4 of them were hunted down.
After the firing settled, the dead bodies were sent to the town hospital for post mortem along with the police vehicle. Both the vans are now in the custody of forest ranger. Arjun ordered to take the vans to BTR office. When they reached their base around 12 in the mid-night, the staff started unloading the vans. From van 1, three full grown leopard skin & 3 pairs of teeth of Asian elephant were seized. From van 2- another 5 pairs of teeth of Asian elephant and a perforated wooden crate of size 1m x 1m x 1m were seized. Congratulating his teammates and ordering Chotu to open the wooden crate, Arjun went inside the office, contend with the success of their mission and started examining the seizures.
After a while, Arjun heard Chotu's voice over and above the rain splatter. He went outside, in the open lawn where the two seized vans now stand, surrounded by other officers and staffs. As he climbed down the staircase, Arjun found the seized wooden crate broken from its three sides and something in it.
To his utter surprise he discovered a human form succumbed inside. Chotu with the help of another staff brought the person out and soon learned that it is an unconscious girl, fortunately still breathing, with hands, legs and mouth tightly tied, completely drenched in rain. They freed her from the ropes. Arjun could not comprehend her presence inside a wooden crate in a van full of smuggled animal parts. He inspected her unconscious form but was unable to conclude whether she was kidnapped or raped or a victim of women-trafficking or otherwise.
Arjun: Take her to my bungalow and call in a lady who can change her into something dry, now.
Shree, who was completely clueless on what to do in such a situation, didn't seem to process his order.
Arjun: Shree!!! Call in a lady; else she will die of pneumonia...!
Arjun: Shree, go... on the double!!!.
Shree: Yes, Sir!
Arjun hurriedly moved towards his bungalow, he too was drenched, but was perplexed at the odd turn that the entire situation took.
Swiftly changing into dry clothes he headed straight to the next room to the unconscious girl and found Chotu standing next to her. For a couple of seconds he couldn't decide what should be the next course of action on their part. Sensing his situation, Chotu said, "Should we try and arrange for a doctor?" Arjun replied, "You go and take care of the necessary procedures and paper works at the office along with other staffs on my behalf, while I try and arrange for a doctor." Chotu was about to leave when Arjun added," First go to Shree and ask him to report here with a lady ASAP." Chotu nodded and went out to follow the orders.
Arjun went towards the bed to take a closer look at the girl. 25-26 years of age may be, he guessed, seems like the girl is sleeping peacefully. Medium length hair, slim structure, average height, medium complexion, big eyes and a sharp chiseled nose, few bruises, some not so deep cuts in her hands and legs, wearing a spagatti top and a pair of shorts, were his first investigation report on her.
He took out his phone and dialed a number, waiting impatiently for the recipient to answer him.
"Hello?" came the voice from the other side.
Arjun: Sorry to disturb you this late but it was urgent. Sameer I need your help.
Sameer: Not an issue Arjun, just tell me what's the matter?
Arjun narrates the incident to Sameer and ask for his advice for the girl.
Sameer: Is she bleeding?
Arjun: Some minor injuries and cuts but no bleeding. Not that I could see.
Sameer: Take a closer look Arjun, I mean check for any sigh of physical torture.
Arjun: No! She is not tortured (with an agonized voice). Umm!!! I guess so (calming down a bit).
Sameer: Let's hope for the best.
Arjun: Hmm.
Sameer: Ok, now listen. It is quarter past 1 in the night, the nearest hospital is around 40 kms away from your place, and it's raining cats and dogs outside. So relocating her at this point of time is not feasible. You have to manage for the night buddy. Change her into some dry clothes; pat her hairs as dry as possible, cover her with a blanket or a duvet. Meanwhile, if she gains consciousness try to feed her luke warm milk. Ayesha & myself will be there as soon as the day breaks.
Arjun: Ok, it will be done. I just hope she gains consciousness soon.
Sameer: Don't worry my friend; I'm sure she will be just fine.
Arjun: Shree has gone to bring a lady who can change her clothes but he has not returned till now, it's already 15-20 minutes or so. What if he couldn't find a lady?
Sameer: Oh God Arjun...You are waiting for a lady! Change her wet clothes immediately else she will die of pneumonia and I'm sure you don't want that to happen.
Arjun: But Sameer...how can I?
Sameer: Leave aside all these bullshit...she needs assistance immediately. Just do as I said because I know you want to help her.
Sameer: Arjun?
Arjun: ...
Sameer: She will survive. Just take care of her for the night, you will find us by your side right at the dawn. Good luck, Arjun.
The line went dead.
After a few moments of hesitation, Arjun covered her with a bed sheet and changed her into one of his T-shirt and track pants. He then covered her with a duvet. He took a towel, sat by her side on the bed and started patting her hairs to dry them. Shree returned from God knows where with defeated face and reported that he could not find a lady. Arjun just looked towards him and spoke in a low voice, "It's all right, go and get some for the rest of the night." Shree retired to his bungalow.
Arjun kept on staring at the girl's face for quite some time and wished for her well being before dozing off to sleep in a sofa beside her bed.
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