38. Afzal is tortured

CHAPTER 38

Afzal is tortured

Ranjit started torturing Afzal. Water force was made to fall on him. He fell far away. Ranjit caught hold of his hair and dragged him. Afzal was completely tired out.

Angrily, Ranjit said, “You know who kidnapped my daughter. Tell me where they are.”

With folded hands, Afzal said, “With Allah promise I do not know who kidnapped your daughter. But one thing is true. They have kidnapped her to get me released.”

Ranjit sat down with his hand on his head.

Bilal is sitting in the compound of a house near a Masjid. Using a satellite cell, he spoke to Ranjit. “What have you decided? I will give you half an hour time. If you release Afzal, we will save your daughter’s life.”

Ranjit was sitting in his office. He was very angry to hear Bilal’s words. “Why are you holding an innocent lady in front of you and harassing her? Bastards. If you come in front of me, I will burn you alive.”

Bilal did not answer. He switched off the phone.   

In the office, Ranjit was a very angry man. IG was also sitting near him. IG asked, “Ranjit, what shall we do now?”

Ranjit said, “I am helpless. I can’t understand anything”

Just then the cell rang. Ranjit took the cell. It was the HM.

Sitting in his office, HM said to Ranjit on phone, “Ranjit, central HM has come to one decision. For the safety of your daughter, we have decided to release Afzal.”

Ministers were all in tension. It was a choice between a terrorist and Ranjit’s daughter. They could not let her die.

But Ranjit was not ready to let Afzal escape so easily. He was a man who would sacrifice his life for India.

Ranjit said to HM on phone, “Impossible, sir. If we do not release Afzal, only my daughter will die. I will consider that she has sacrificed her life for the nation. But if we release this anti-national, thousands of innocent people will die. Even if my daughter dies, I will not mind but I will not let Afzal go free. Let them do what ever they want.”

Afzal could hear what Ranjit said. He was shocked.

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Public was watching the TV eager to know what will happen next.                            TV news reporter said, “The terrorists have given 15 minutes time. Ranjit says that even if his daughter dies he does not mind. He will consider that she has sacrificed her life for the nation. But he will never leave that anti-national go free.”

People were shocked to hear that Ranjit had decided to sacrifice his daughter’s life.

PUBLIC OPINION:

A shop keeper said to his customer, “These terrorists are demons. They attack innocent ladies.”

At a public place, some youths were watching TV

One boy, “These anti-nationals will understand only if they are hanged in public.”

Another boy, “There is Pakistan’s hand in this. All this drama is taking place with direction from Pakistan.”

One man said, “These religious fundamentalists have become a head ache to the whole world. If all the countries get together against them, we can get rid of terrorism from the world.”