The Jail Bird

Rajesh. 30.You cannot judge him by his name or look. Stockily built. Sturdy in look. A very fair complexion. A fine personality. But fate had ordained him as a chronic culprit. He would spend at least six or seven months in a year in jail.In his residential area he was known as a notorious person by name ‘Jail Bird’

It all started when he was doing his school final.He was thrashed heavily by his father for having failed in the 10th exam. He ran away from Thackalai, a remote village in Tamil Nadu to Mumbai by Mumbai mail.He was caught for ticketless traveling and remanded to juvenile home for three months. When he was freed, he hesitated to go home for fear of getting thrashed again heavily.He wandered in Mumbai for over 15 years..He became an expert in pick-pocketing, cheating, gambling, running errands to pimps in brothel houses.He became a habitual offender. He spent many years in Jail at Tihar and Mumbai etc. But he would be released soon after getting a number of remissions.

During the recent Nav Nirman Shiv Sena agitation, he was beaten heavily, for being a madrasi. He fled to Tamil Nadu but not to his native village.For the past one year he has been in Chennai. Staying in a slum.

A few months ago, he was arrested for a major crime.He raped a slum girl.The charge was proved against him.He was convicted for 7 years and lodged in the new ‘Puzhal’ jail.But it was a new environment for him.Hitherto he had been convicted only for petty crimes and so was jailed for three, six months or so and got frequently released pretty quickly. But this time it was for seven years.It was quite unusual for him.

The Puzhal jail was ultramodern.Though many of the culprits felt it as a modern guest house, Rajesh did not. After a week of his arrival, Rajesh began to read newspapers in the morning, meant for culprits.A particular news item caught his attention.He read it thoroughly.Then went back to his cell.

From the next day onwards, he was a changed man. Though he was an avid eater, he wantonly desisted from meals.He became a chain smoker.He had only one meal a day that too very little.His fellow inmates of his cell, time and again advised him not to forego meals.But he evinced little interest in food.In a matter of fifteen days,Rajesh shed twenty kilos of his weight.He avoided company and preferred loneliness.In three months time he became a very lean man and a very frail person.In the fourth month, he fell ill. Frequently coughed and developed pulmonary tuberculosis.

He was taken to the nearby TB Sanatorium at Tambaram for treatment.He was adviced to take treatment as an inpatient for a period of three months at the TB hospital.The prison authorities admitted him at Room No.13, specially meant for jail inmates. As soon as he got admitted as inpatient into the hospital for treatment, Rajesh evinced a keen interest in taking treatment and getting his TB cured.He never defaulted from taking medicines or the nutritious food given by the hospital.

One month elapsed.Doctors came to Room No.13 for routine check up of the patient.But he was not there.

The Police man in charge of him, searched for him.He was in the bath room taking bath.He responded to the call of the PC.Some twenty minutes elapsed.Again the police man called out for him.On breaking open the door it was found that Rajesh was not in the bath room.The bath room window panels had been smashed.

The next day, all dailies flashed the news; ‘the jail bird escaped from TB hospital.’

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