Stone Age on rly tracks, GRP at sea

The first 10 months of 1998 have registered 34 stone-pelting incidents, the highest in the last five years (see box). But Special Inspector General of the GRP, S S Suradkar, says: “Don’t go by the numbers. Every day, at least one stone is hurled at passing local trains in the city. Many of them miss their targets, others find victims who don’t report the matter tous.”

Eyeing Mahim railway station almost a kilometre away, Nanavare has been on his feet since 8 am and ouch, do they hurt! And with the clock ticking in slow motion, he has miles to go before be breaks off at 8 pm. At least he is not entirely alone. Constable Nana Kasbe patrols alongside. “But,” Nanavare remarks, “how long can you talk to another person incessantly?”Kasbe nods in agreement. Then, he hurriedly hops to the other side as he spies an approaching fast train bound for Churchgate. “We cross the tracks at least 20 times a day,” Kasbe winces, wondering if the law-enforcers aren’t breaking the rules themselves. His wry smile barely makes it to his face. The ennui, you see, has sunk in much too deep.

Life moves in first gear for these weary warriors. An occasional trespasser, slumdwellers performing their daily ablutions, junkies blind to approaching trains, a few chaiwallahs and some new-found friends among the slum-dwellers play out the daily drama on Mumbai’s railway tracks. Moreimportantly, they provide a welcome interlude for the GRP policemen.

“We have made friends among the slum-dwellers, who offer us tea. Some have also offered to keep vigil in our absence,” Nanavare says, stifling a yawn. Sick of stepping on concrete sleepers, Kasbe tries balancing on the rails. It provides some distraction, no matter how inane. But Nanavare has another problem. How can he keep his mind from falling asleep? So he turns to philosophy. “If we don’t patrol the tracks, who will. And what do people get by throwing stones in the first place?”

Suradkar has the answer to that one. “They derive a perverse sense of satisfaction from harming defenceless people,” he says. Psychiatrist Dr Anand Nadkarni agrees. “It is a raw, undirected act of aggression. And it is dangerous because it is an indication of the depth of anger in society,” he says.

But `society’ doesn’t seem to care. If indeed it did, the number of cases reported would be higher. “Attitudes needs to change. People should realisethat even small stones cause death,” Suradkar says. But till that happens, Nanavare’s grind will continue. Attitudes, after all, have an annoying way of remaining static.