A Date with the Naxalite!"

That was really chilly afternoon in Jagdalpur town of Bastar district in Chhatisgarh. We were in chitrakot forest to see kanga river and kangera caves. I just turned around in 360 degrees and only one thing I could see is "Trees" and some creepy sound. I didn't even bother to investigate where it is coming from. Frankly speaking, I was actually scared to discover that.

Then our car stopped at a check post of chattisgarh tourism. We completed some formalities of paying fees and feeling some forms to get a guide. This guide, Apparao, a very thin, small creature was carrying a halogen lamp kind of a thing and one torch. I felt like asking him "Bhaiya, should I help you to carry that lamp? But the sophisticated person inside me stopped me from doing that.He gave us a blank look and sat in back seat of our car. We enquired and came to know that he is pretty new guide who joined just 2 months ago. I got a small doubt about this tiny creature but then I just dismissed my thought by thinking what this "skeleton" guy can do to strong people like us.

Our car started moving towards Kangera caves, it was around 10km patchy road from the tourism check post. The driving was not simple through that dark forest and shabby roads. Slowly we started conversation with Apparao, offered him some chips, fruits what we were having. We gave him two chocolates when he told us that he has two kids. I really felt pity when he told us that he gets only Rs. 15/- per trip and whatever "Bakshish", he gets from the tourists. I had decide that I will surely give him 100 rs. to this poor guy. We saw one Government Guest House on the way, which was locked. I just wondered who comes and stays in such a lonely place middle of the jungle. We came to know from Apparao that You can see tigers and panther if you stay here overnight.

Ours was last trip for Apparao for that day. Before coming to this place our parents have warned us that beware of "Naxalites" as its a naxlite area and take good care of yourself. We didn't give much importance to this as we thought, parents always has habit of over worrying for their kids. I asked Apparao, "Are there any naxlite in these area?" He said, "No madam, those are only in Dantwada area. You don't have to worry at all." I felt at ease after Apparao's word of confidence.

We had finally reached those pitch dark caves. Oh my God! It was so scary... You cant see anything if you don't have that lamp along. The path was so slippery and uneven. At the end of the cave we started feeling saphocated and Apparao still had enthu to show those shapes of this Imagination. "Madam, see this looks like "crocodile" that looks like "Lord hanuman" etc..etc. I was really not interested in those shapes. I wanted to breathe some fresh air. We finally came out after 15 mins of struggling for walk. I took a deep breath and I felt little better.
It was getting late. Actually It was Just 5.15 pm but in that Jungle it felt like 7pm. We got down at Kanga river. Clicked some photographs and suddenly Apparao vissled. We were stunt to see four armed people around us. They had a gun, chain, knife with them. I really got sacred.

Next moment I saw Apparao running like anything and two of the naxalite holding shiva's both the hands. I was about to faint and something hit my head from behind. Next when I woke up, it was pitch dark. I started screaming and somebody switched on the light and I realized that I was in backseat of the car and Shiva was in front seat. I was totally clueless to what happened.

Then Shiva explained me that they took all our ornaments and hard cash. He just had to let them go, otherwise they wouldn't have bother to murder us. They took music system in the car and then punctured the car, so that he should not be able to follow them. After they took their sumo and left. He was not even able to note down the sumo number as it was very dark by then.

That was the most terrifying night in my life. We had to sit in the car without food, water and light. We had to sit in pitch dark so that none of the wild creatures comes and tries to kill us. We sat whole night next to each other praying God that we should reach home safe. I couldn't sleep a wink though I was tired. I was crying the whole night and he was being strong enough and trying to keep me cool. Poor guy, he was also scared like hell but was just not showing it.

Thanks to God! We could see next day Sun rising! And even we reached home safe....
I just thanked God for keeping us safe and preyed for "Apparao's" safety.

After few day, I was shocked to see one photo with a Headline... "Five Naxalite group looting tourist Caught in Bastar" .. More shocking was "Apparao" was the person standing in the middle of those five people.