Inside the chowki, Bibi was struggling to free herself from the SHO’s grip. Scenes from Partition flashed in front of her eyes. In the SHO, she saw the rioters and fundamentalists who, in order to fulfil their greed and lust, had stooped to the lowest of the low and exploited innocent people to show their strength and power. And right then she made up her mind to not give in and fight back. With her back on the table, she searched for a sharp object to attack the SHO with her right hand. Her desperate efforts yielded results and she managed to get hold of the wooden pen. She pulled it out of the inkpot and, with all her strength, thrust it deep into the SHO’s left eye. The sharp, one-inch-long nib pierced his eye and got stuck inside, the ink flowing down his cheek, colouring it blue-black. It was soon followed by thick blood. The SHO let out a loud scream and collapsed. He fell on his face, allowing the nib to go even deeper inside the eye socket.

He screamed again. Then he somehow turned on his back and shouted for help. The startled havildar couldn’t make out what was happening. He panicked and rushed towards the door but found it locked from inside. He looked around but found no one in the vicinity to help. It soon dawned on him that the SHO had sent away all the cops on duty to fulfil his lust. He ran towards the road and screamed at the top of his voice in the direction of the horseman and the old woman, but saw them kneeling on the ground in prayer. He again ran towards the door and tried desperately to force it open but failed. Left with no other choice, he banged on the door with his bare hands. The screams from inside kept growing louder, both in pitch and intensity. Unable to bear it any more and fearing the wrath of his senior, the helpless havildar ran towards the houses at the far end, shouting loudly en route, ‘Somebody help, please help . . .’ But the few who did hear him looked the other way lest they get drawn into the messy affairs of cops.

Meanwhile, inside the chowki, a furious Bibi couldn’t contain herself. All the anger and anguish came out in the most vicious manner. Free from the SHO’s grip, she looked for the document she had signed, tore it and flung the pieces on the body of the injured cop. His uniform had soaked up the blood that had oozed from his eye initially but was now forming a pool under his head. Her eyes still on the cop, who was writhing in pain, she tugged at the tablecloth and wiped her hands—her face lit with satisfaction. Gone was the begging, pleading woman. Instead she looked at the cop coldly, not heeding his sobs and pleas.