“The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules. It’s people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages.”
In the late 1990s to early 2000s, while working at a bank in Jharkhand, I faced risks of Maoist insurgency during travels. A memorable trip in January 2001 to Deoghar culminated in a highway robbery, where armed assailants, surprisingly polite, demanded valuables. Fortunately, police intervention ensured our safety. This experience highlighted the region's struggles and progress, leaving me grateful for our survival and the resilience of the human spirit.
Jallianwala Bagh, a garden in Amritsar, Punjab, symbolizes an incident in India's colonial past when British troops, led by General Dyer, fired upon a peaceful protest in 1919, killing hundreds. The garden, featuring bullet-ridden walls and a well into which people jumped for escape, is a memorial for the victims. The incident catalyzed India's struggle for independence and serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for justice and equality.
On June 20th, 2010, a violent explosion shattered the normalcy in a Baghdad bank's basement office, triggering chaos and fear among employees. Amidst the devastation, security personnel became protective shields, sacrificing their lives for others. In the aftermath, the author reflects on the senselessness of violence and the deep scars left behind, while also witnessing resilience and unity among the people, emphasizing hope in rebuilding a fractured community.
