· Escape from jaws of death
May 15 was yet another hot sunny Tuesday. It was business as usual and was on my weekly visit to our client’s office located at Delhi – Jaipur road NH-8, Gurgaon. I was the only occupant of a chauffeur-driven steel grey saloon cab which was racing to my destination via Chhatarpur, M G Road amidst frequent traffic snarls.
Ranjan, the person behind the steering wheels appeared to have a trying time negotiating the beeline traffic since there was more of waiting and less of movement of vehicles. So did I took out my black box (laptop), connected the data card and got engrossed with work meeting deadlines. Suddenly, the car came to a halt and when I looked outside, it was the place where I had to be.
After dropping me Ranjan parked the car around 100 yards away in the service lane, adjacent to a makeshift dhaba. It was 12:00 pm and little did I realize that in another 20 minutes a catastrophe would have occurred.
The car which was stationery with its ignition switched off went up on flames with thick black smokes bellowing from the bonnet. By the time people and fire tenders could make out what was happening, the vehicle had been charred completely. Ranjan and several bystanders, rushed to the spot with buckets of water to douse flames but were unsuccessful to salvage anything.
This incident has indeed left a mixed impression in my mind – a feeling of guilt, achievement and an escape from the jaws of death! Had we were still inside the car for the next twenty minutes we would have been roasted alive and perhaps, today’s dailies would have carried an obituary.
Hei, I am still alive… Thank you Almighty for saving our lives!
