‘Why do you say we are taking revenge on you? This is all for your safety.’

‘What safety are you talking about? Who will harm us? Are we fighting for China or spying for China? You are lying so you can take us away.’

‘She is right,’ Pramila intervened. ‘I’ve lived with my husband for thirty-five years. None of us have any ties with China. We have never seen China. There are no Chinese spies in our house. Arrest us all, if you have to.’

One of the policemen came forward.

‘What are you saying about the government?’

Holding on to their mothers, the children started crying.

‘Let me do the talking. You go and wait outside. The children will get scared.’

‘Do you know these people?’ the policeman looked at the magistrate.

The magistrate became cautious. If these police reported to the seniors, he might be arrested for having links with the enemy. His face hardened, as he spoke firmly. ‘If you don’t cooperate we will have to apply force. You will be considered agents of the enemy. Then you will be in real trouble.’

‘He is right, Pramila,’ Ho Min Fu said in a steady, quiet voice. ‘Don’t argue. Since they have come to take us, we have to go. Besides, it will only be for a couple of days or so.’

Pramila Gogoi looked at her husband with tears in her eyes.

Finally, the magistrate lost his cool. The policemen came forward. Madhabi held her husband tightly and started crying.

‘I won’t let him go. I’ll also go with him. Take me along, sir. Sir, don’t do this to us, sir …’

Without waiting for the magistrate’s order, one policeman pulled Madhabi’s husband from her and dragged him outside. In the midst of Madhabi’s distressing wails and the screams of the children, Tung Chin’s father, his two elder brothers, his sister-in-law Wenling and their five children left their home. The armed constables pushed them down the road, which was teeming with a crowd of curious neighbours.

Mok Min closed his shop early. Hearing that the police had surrounded Cheenapatti, the people who were sitting in his shop had left in a hurry. Mok Min went to Manchung Ho’s place. There he found the officer-in-charge of the Tinsukia police station, A. C. Chow and Manchung Ho engrossed in deep conversation.

‘Come on in, we were talking about you,’ the OC grinned.

After taking his seat, Mok Min asked politely, ‘The police have surrounded Cheenapatti. I have heard that they have arrested some people. What has happened, sir?’

‘President’s rule. These things happen. If anything would have taken place, would I be sitting here?’ the OC grinned again.

‘Will there be any problems for us, sir?’