98) Living by oneself

This was straight from the pages of hell. My troubles came uninvited of course and out of the blue.

I was doing my Masters in Physics at the Central University in Hyderabad and having opted for a career in academics, I was making good progress and life was on a smooth road – dad had just retired and I was engaged to marry to an engineer.

It was then this pervert came into my life. Last year, I sold my Kinetic Honda to a Sardar- an amiable young chap - and we concluded the deal. I turned over the vehicle and registered papers even when he was still short of 2 grand.

During those days the Jessica Lal case was all over the papers and television channels milked all that they could from that story. I foolishly left a comment on ND TV website in my name and mail id.

God since then I had no end of troubles. This sick Sikh happened to do a google search and found my name and email id and it was like garland of flowers to a monkey.

I found my mails full of junk messages. First came the forwards and those silly jokes and got more and more amorous by the day. During those days – say 2000 – blocking mails was not an option or maybe, I was too disadvantaged technically to stop this flood of mails. This pervert seemed to follow me as I went to and fro to college as he would describe my dress the next day on mail.

I quite frankly lost my mind and was fast turning paranoid. Unlike now, where the cops have a cyber crime division, there was no such thing then.

I spoke to my lawyer cousin and he immediately came over and advised. He reasoned that it was weak police case for emails cannot be entertained as evidence and this clever pervert can get away by denying that it’s not his mail id. So, going to the cops was a waste of time.

He then advised something criminal but effective. You could invite him to a place, say a restaurant and then leave it me to handle him.

He even said,” There is nothing like a good bash to straighten this man with too much testosterone”.
I was firm as I acquiesced: Please no long term damage.

Likewise, a rendezvous was set up and young man ended up with more than a fracture to contend.

I wasn’t exactly happy taking law into my hands. We are decent people without a shadow of doubt- mind our business or hate to be cause of inconvenience to anyone. I come from a very conservative family and a woman can never afford any mud thrown at her dignity.

Since this incident, I am very careful. I don’t ever use my name on the internet nor be foolhardy enough to leave my mail id. I never forget those 4 months when a fellow went berserk and very nearly caused me a nervous breakdown. I learnt my lesson: One can never be too careful these days!!!!! (513 words)