Mangalore: Beyond What Meets the Eye - Amar's Journey of Pain, and Dignity


Mangalore: Beyond What Meets the Eye - Amar's Journey of Pain, and Dignity

Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Sep 24: We come across a variety of people in need of money for various reasons - they might have lost their purse, might be in a difficult situation or may simply be financially poor. We seldom go beyond what meets the eyes, but a glance into their lives will reveal a different story altogether, as it did with a person I met recently.

I happened to this young man who seemed decent, educated and from a good family. He approached me and asked for a job. "Sir, could u please help me get a job? It is urgent, and it doesn't matter even if I have to work as a cleaner in a hotel or a bar. I don't want much, just Rs 800 to reach home. I am ready to work just for a week also," he pleaded.

His request surprised me. Here was an educated man ready to work as a cleaner just to earn Rs 800...I decided to dig in deeper. A couple of couple questions, and the story poured out. What happened to him was nothing unusual, but the situation that it put him in just goes to show the apathy of the police and what an ordinary person has to go through in such situations.

His name is Amar Singh (23), son of Sanjay Singh, a resident of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. His father was a doctor and also a businessmen. Tragedy struck six months ago, when the car his parents were travelling in slipped off an icy road and fell into a gorge, killing them both and leaving Amar all alone.

His father left him a huge property with 75 acres of land and a flourishing business in growing apples. Having inherited all the property, he became a rich man overnight.

He had been pursuing his fashion technology course from Gurukul University, and had to appear for an exam in Sharnur, Kerala. He came to Delhi and from there to Mangalore by flight, and from Mangalore central railway station, he caught a train to reach Sharnur.

He had two bags, one with his clothes and the other with his return air ticket, laptop, iPhone, Rs 35,000 cash, Punjab National Bank card, voter ID and importantly, his exam hall ticket.

He booked a train ticket in the sleeper berth (S2), seat number 17, in Chennai-Ednore Express, with depature from Mangalore at 6:50 am on September 15. With his two bag and loads of dreams and hopes of a bright future, he began his journey.

He had never imagined what was to happen just a few stations before his destination. A group of four boys entered the train, beat him up badly and fled away with the bag which contained all his documents and money. Nobody could catch them, and Amar was left helpless and penniless. They had even badly injured his right hand. All he had left was his bag of clothes.

After he arrived in the Sharnur Junction, he lodged a complaint with the railway police, and as usual, the police assured him that investigation will be made and his things would be returned to him.

Strangely enough, the police told him to catch a train back to Delhi, and that he need not carry a ticket, as no one would ask him. Believing the police, he did as they as they said, and caught a train to Delhi without a ticket.

However, as the train was about to reach Mangalore, the ticket collector learnt that Amar was travelling ticketless and told him that he would be jailed if he didn't alight in Mangalore. Puzzled and deeply troubled as well as hurt, he did not want to beg for anyone's help. He was sure no one would believe him either.

Instead, he looked around Mangalore in search of jobs, including in bars, shops and hotels. Finally he reached Garodi Sri Brahma Baiderkala Temple, where he was treated well and all arrangements were made to send him back to his house. He was given Rs 1500 in cash and was dropped at the station, where he caught the train back to Delhi.

Amar's story perhaps happens everyday to someone or other. In fact, Amar is one of the few lucky ones as he still has all that his father bequeathed him. The four boys who looted him may have sold his laptop and iPhone and spent the money royally, or perhaps they might have had a story of their own that forced them to commit the crime. When we hear such stories, all we need to ask ourselves is, what if we were in his place?

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Abdul Sattar, Kudroli, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 26 2012

    Very sad to hear this story.It could be true.These things happen daily on our trains and even your co-pax's won't bother to come to your rescue.That's life.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ronald, Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 25 2012

    I am bit surprised on how the attackers took only the correct bag with valuables they needed and left the one with cloths?. In the past about 12 years ago i came across a sympathy story from a person in Mangalore and i gave him Rs 100 to travel in bus (he was claiming that he was a lorry labour worker and lorry driver left him alone at Puttur and he had to walk back from there, now his legs are paining blah blah blah so he needed money to travel back to his native place in Kundapur). Later i learnt that it is a fake story as two more persons approched me (at different times over the years) with exact same story. What ever published here may be a fact but you never know.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjeev Kamath, Udupi / Bahrain

    Tue, Sep 25 2012

    Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal are such beautiful places with very hospitable, sincere and graceful pahadi people. With this happening, don't be surprised if South Indians visiting these areas are flung kilometers down the cliffs!! Rob gold and money, why documents? Why are we so heartless? We have ruined a worthy innocent person.

    DisAgree Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • jennifer gracian botelho, udupi karnataka.

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    ITS HIS PARENTS BLESSINGS THAT HE MET GOOD HUMANBEINGS WHO HELPED HIM OUT TO REACH HIS DESTINATION.ANY WAY GOD BLESS ALL THOSE WHO HELPED HIM.

    DisAgree Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Chinnu, Bangalore

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    Like Amar so many innocent and honest people in all age exist in
    india and had differant bitter experience. It shows culture,honesty and self respect. it is proud and not degrade that Amar was even ready to work as labout to get money to return, because such people can't know how to lie or make fool to others. In some incidents fear of respect manay people loose hard earned money and not ready force to sue the same from borrower. If bring notice to police it is not sure police will do there duty and help them.

    DisAgree Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sebi, Udupi

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    Badly injured in his right hand, no where other injuries on his body. Which hospital he got treatment and who band aid his hand? Why he needs to come via Mangalore there are more opportunities travel by air to Kerala? Only Gurukul University can prove this story is false or true.

    DisAgree [13] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Boniface, Manalore

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    I do believe that this story of Amar is true. But one would certainly ask why people dont come forward to help a stranger? Perhaps, the answer is very simple. After the several incidents, which occurred in Mangalore or elsewhere, where people shown sympathy and gave them employement either in their houses or hotels or construction sites. Ultimately, they looted, killed the family members and there are many incidents, where they have abducted small infants.

    Suppose one employs him, tomorrow one incident takes place and police will unnecessrily harass the common man. Havent any one of you experienced this?

    I personally have experienced this. Giving someone a ride for short distance is too a costly affair when you realise that he is involved in fighting, looting, stealing, murder. You are booked just because you gave him a ride and hence you are his associate.

    These are the some common reasons where people dont want to help even if wants to...

    DisAgree [3] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jennet Prescilla, Mangalore Muscat

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    It is heartening to note that there still exists some humanity in people, inspite of being conned by unscrupulous people. Hope Amar's case is genuine and he has been able to put behind this tragic incident behind and go in life. I too faced a similar situation in Muscat. I was in a hurry to go to office when I was waylaid by a Pajero vehicle driven by a Pakistani youngster, with a women seated at the backseat with a baby.

    He requested me for some money to buy milk for the baby as he lost his wallet to a pickpocketer and he had driven from Dubai and needs money to go back for Petrol. I took pity and gave R.O.2/- which was the smallest change I had at that moment. When I narrated this incident to my friend and her husband they gave me a good piece of their mind and thanked God that I was not robbed of my belongings as there is no one around at that time in that area.

    Right enough couple of days later I saw the same couple with the Vehicle in the Ruwi Church Parking area using the same ruse with the Church crowd. I thanked God that he had saved me with a lesser loss of only RO2/- Now I do not give any money to such people but tell them to go to the nearest Police station who will organise to help them. You see this incident has deprived the genuine needy people of help, as now people are wary of rendering any assistance to strangers.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vinod, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    Whenever I travel by train I have that fear what if what we read in news paper comes true..
    Am glad Amar Singh got some good souls to help him.
    In Bangalore its very common to see cheats.. and they even tell the same story to the same person next day!!!
    Jesus save us from all the evils...

    DisAgree Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • mujeeb shaikh, mangalore

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    I really appreciate the person who sat and spent his or her time to listen his story faithfully.
    I'm now proud to say I'm an manglorean.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [66] Reply Report Abuse

  • Amin Bhoja, Patte / Riyadh

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    It is called a unfortunate fate of Amar Singh,a bad day of his life.Human beings and the dignity sometime it matters the most in one's life,a great value of it's kind!.It is thus a litmus test to Amar and to his career too.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Naveen Frank, Mangalore/Sharjah

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    The story seems real. However the authenticity would be sealed if the young man reaches his destination and returns or at least offers to return the money given to him.
    I recall a similar incident that happened over 20 years ago in Bangalore when a young man approached us, a group of young Jesuits, giving us a sad and convincing , lamenting story of being robbed and left nowhere to go. He wanted just enough money to reach home. When he insisted that he wanted to work first and then take the money, our young hearts melted and we pooled in and gave him enough money immediately. The young man was so grateful he promised us to return the money as soon as he reached his home. He took our mailing address. But we never heard from him again.
    His silence however, did not disturb us. Two months later we heard from our friends from some other part of Bangalore that the same man had approached them with a same story. It was then that it dawned on us that we were taken for a ride.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Manglorean, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    Mangloreans always have a heart

    DisAgree [1] Agree [42] Reply Report Abuse

  • john, Udipi/Mumbai

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    Very touching story of both Amar and the good samaritans who came to his assistance. But what about the backup will the police catch the culprits, will he get back the documents and money.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • M. Kappa, Jeddah

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    This is called a Dignity. I am touched. There are many like Amar. Let others to follow amar's dignity who are not rich, or are from well known families.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [55] Reply Report Abuse

  • GUJARAN, SHIRVAMANCHAKAL/MUSCAT

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    IT IS NICE TO READ THAT EVEN OTHER STATE NEEDY PEOPLE ARE BEING TAKEN CARE.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [51] Reply Report Abuse

  • Barbara Bayer, Muscat

    Mon, Sep 24 2012

    Very sad and heart touching tragedy. One could imagine the pain, agony and humiliation this poor guy would have through the whole ordeal. God bless richly the good samaritans who came to his assistance and helped him heal his pain and agony and also helped him financially to reach his home town.


























    DisAgree Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Mangalore: Beyond What Meets the Eye - Amar's Journey of Pain, and Dignity



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.