Kapitel 29: Familiar backpack

As soon as the bus stopped, he got down and saw a familiar scene. Every place he'd been visiting from when the news of the floods was aired on the radio and television, had the same relief camps, medical camps, food distribution centres with the Army and Police personnel taking care of them.

Every district, every village had similar scenes. People losing their entirety. By now even he had got used to seeing them. He could only sigh in pain looking at the condition of the people. Some had lost their family members. Some of them had their families but nothing else left. The floods affected everyone alike: rich, poor, old aged, children, women, men, animals, trees all were affected without any discrimination. The scenes were heart-wrenching

This was the last district this man was travelling. After trying here for one last time, he thought of leaving to the capital.

He got down and directly went to the army personnel in charge of the missing people.

He introduced himself. "Hello Sir. I'm Virat. I'm from A city. I'm doing my final year Engineering in Electronics and Communication in B University."

The officer held out his hand and said, "Hello Virat. That's one of the famous Universities of the country. Tell me Virat what brings you here?"

Virat replied, "My fiancée Maya, has gone missing sir. So I've come here to check the registrations at all the camps. This is the last district and the last camp I'm checking on."

The officer replied, "Sir, we've been getting too many registrations everyday. Plus the numbers are increasing. Some people are stranded. Some people need help in rescuing. Some are in medical camps. Some even dead-"

He was left hanging midway when Virat interrupted which was almost like he was shouting., "No sir! My Maya is alive. She is alive." He never once wanted to think that she was harmed to death in the floods.

"No Virat. Please control yourself. By this, I understand she's a very important person to you. But I'm merely telling you all the possibilities. The thing is we are not able to ascertain the exact data or number yet since the numbers are rising." The officer said truthfully.

Virat pleaded, "Sir she's the love of my life. Please help me in getting back to her Sir. Please."

The officer suggested, "Calm down Virat. Now tell me more about her. Let me write down in the register here so that I can check and verify if we've any such entities or I can inform you if we get any future such entries."

Virat snapped out of his emotional breakdown and explained about her. "Sir, she also studied with me in the same college. She had come here for an inter-college youth festival at C University. She was representing our college in this competition. As per the information I received, she even won so many prizes there."

The officer immediately asked. "Then it's best that you check at the university Virat. Because there are less or no chances for her to come around here. This place is a little fall from the university."

Virat explained, "Sir, I understand. But, after the competition, she and her friends went sightseeing for a couple of days. That's how she's not returned back. Their luggage was still at the rooms designated for our college students. They'd left with just a couple of clothes and other essentials in their backpacks and-"

Just as Virat was answering to the officer, a backpack lying on the pile of assorted stuffs caught his attention. He stood up and walked towards the somewhat familiar backpack.