Stolen and returned (yet again)
Thursday Morning May 8, 2014 8:45 am
Just moments before stepping out, after the final pradakshina, realized that I had been robbed of everything – purse, mobile, valuables, everything with the laptop bag, that too in Shri Raghavendra Swamy mutt in Jayanagar 5th block. Absolutely penny-less, even to go to police station to lodge complaint, as mandated when official laptop is stolen, had to borrow Rs. 100 from the seva counter guy. Had been at mutt from 7:25 am, did pradakshinas for dwadash gurus without laptop bag, it was safe till then.
Saturday Noon May 10, 2014 – Raghavendra Swamy’s Krupa
Was checking the contents of my soiled laptop in RPU anna’s home in RT nagar. RPU anna’s driver Santosh, had found it, in a dark obscure place in Malleshwaram, where he had gone for urinating. After Adiga’s White Tiger, Santosh changed my perception of drivers. 3 gm Au ring, cash in purse around 270+ (thief spared one 2 rupee coin this time), including my debit card, Cadbury’s fruit and nut chocolate, mobile given by a Pentecost pastor anna, mouse went missing; rest of silver ware (tumbler, spoon and chandan mixing tiny bowl), laptop Latitude 6420, datacard, 32 GB pendrive, medical bills, seva receipts, everything else was safe. What else can I say other than Raghavendra Swamy’s grace , RPU anna’s honesty and his persistent efforts in reaching out when the thief had activated unconditional forwarding in my mobile, which I could deactivate only after 80 hours.
Last April 2013, my laptop and mobile was very much with me, lost only the laptop bag, yet, I sat crying from morning till noon in front of Raghavendra swamy’s photo and it came back, this time laptop also went, and it was not 1gm Au, 3gm Au, yet was non chalant. Of course, was angry on and off, teary eyed on and off, on having to ask others for money with the world’s worst bank ICICI’s delay in debit card replacement.
Back to Thursday After theft - Jayanagar Police Station Saga
The traffic police guided me to JP nagar police station, while seva counter guy said Jayanagar police station. Auto refused to come to Jayanagar police station. So walked to JP nagar police station to realize, Jayanagar was the right one.
At jayanagar police station, one police lady asked me thrice, about my chrome yellow sari, if that was part of my office uniform, I replied her no twice, that it was my mother’s sari. And another police guy enacted, I should have carried my laptop bag tucked under my arms and did my pradakshina. Imagine carrying the rock heavy Latitude 6420 like that. But there are folks who do panchAng namaskars for every step with heavy laptops while I need hands free while praying.
Current was not there, no zerox. So had to write the letter twice, for police records. Had to repeat what I had lost to every guy (10+) in uniform who asked me. Kept trying my mother’s number which was the only number I remembered and mom had kept phone at home and had gone to office.
3 police guys including a lady police in sari came in police jeep to mutt, where the police were given prasad, coconut, flowers and archak got panchamrutha in small cups in the managers room where we were sitting. Told them, no, already had a tumbler full and the guy said one is not supposed to refuse prasad. So had a second tiny cup of panchamrutha. Police lady said, that she prayed to Raghavendra swamy that I should get the things back. Police didn't file FIR
Office Episode
With the seva counter guy’s money, took a bus and reached office, mailed first to office folks on not being available on mobile. Blocked card and placed request for new card which is yet to come after 9 days. Jai Ho ICICI! Receptionist guided me to legal department and legal guy asked with the greatest sarcasm, “so, how did you manage to lose?” Managers were supportive. By 7:30 pm, after a heated exchange, got a duplicate sim card, which was registered on some Ibrahim’s name as per their records!!! And Vodafone folks have called me so many times for renewing some service or other. Only on Sunday could manage to deactivate automatic call forwarding that the thief had set up.
Friday May 9, Ecospace
Reached the venue for the event, was taking notes furiously in the absence of android recorder and audacity in my laptop and event manager asked me to contact my manager who gave me the number of two people to call - security guy and RPU anna’s number. To cut the long story short, RPU anna resisted selling the laptop, he called up the office security using the number in the id card and security sent mail to all concerned. RPU anna has two cute daughters studying in 1st and 3rd.
Back to Saturday Ekadashi saga
Absolutely pennyless and having exhausted all borrowed money in auto and 1 day AC bus pass, my pushya colleague who escorted me to RPU anna’s home got 2 kgs banganapallis, insisting that bachelors won’t eat fruits. RPU anna said his greatest satisfaction was on having returned things to the rightful owner. Funny life. If it was me, i would not have touched any laptop bag that was not mine, so the question of taking so much trouble to ensure it returns the rightful owner, would not have arisen. Home work for this weekend: to analyze patterns in April 4th or 5th, 2013 and (again got it back on Saturday April 6th, 2013) and Au bracelet that slipped on December 26, 2011 and this year May 8, back on May 10.
May 25 Ekadashi Again
A fortnight later, RPU anna messaged me twice and called me once. I didn't answer his call or text back. Asked my guruji, will that be considered as lack of gratitude. Guruji said no and I left it at that. God bless RPU anna, his two kids, wife and everyone at home. Still waiting for ICICI debit card.
Thursday Morning May 8, 2014 8:45 am
Just moments before stepping out, after the final pradakshina, realized that I had been robbed of everything – purse, mobile, valuables, everything with the laptop bag, that too in Shri Raghavendra Swamy mutt in Jayanagar 5th block. Absolutely penny-less, even to go to police station to lodge complaint, as mandated when official laptop is stolen, had to borrow Rs. 100 from the seva counter guy. Had been at mutt from 7:25 am, did pradakshinas for dwadash gurus without laptop bag, it was safe till then.
Saturday Noon May 10, 2014 – Raghavendra Swamy’s Krupa
Was checking the contents of my soiled laptop in RPU anna’s home in RT nagar. RPU anna’s driver Santosh, had found it, in a dark obscure place in Malleshwaram, where he had gone for urinating. After Adiga’s White Tiger, Santosh changed my perception of drivers. 3 gm Au ring, cash in purse around 270+ (thief spared one 2 rupee coin this time), including my debit card, Cadbury’s fruit and nut chocolate, mobile given by a Pentecost pastor anna, mouse went missing; rest of silver ware (tumbler, spoon and chandan mixing tiny bowl), laptop Latitude 6420, datacard, 32 GB pendrive, medical bills, seva receipts, everything else was safe. What else can I say other than Raghavendra Swamy’s grace , RPU anna’s honesty and his persistent efforts in reaching out when the thief had activated unconditional forwarding in my mobile, which I could deactivate only after 80 hours.
Last April 2013, my laptop and mobile was very much with me, lost only the laptop bag, yet, I sat crying from morning till noon in front of Raghavendra swamy’s photo and it came back, this time laptop also went, and it was not 1gm Au, 3gm Au, yet was non chalant. Of course, was angry on and off, teary eyed on and off, on having to ask others for money with the world’s worst bank ICICI’s delay in debit card replacement.
Back to Thursday After theft - Jayanagar Police Station Saga
The traffic police guided me to JP nagar police station, while seva counter guy said Jayanagar police station. Auto refused to come to Jayanagar police station. So walked to JP nagar police station to realize, Jayanagar was the right one.
At jayanagar police station, one police lady asked me thrice, about my chrome yellow sari, if that was part of my office uniform, I replied her no twice, that it was my mother’s sari. And another police guy enacted, I should have carried my laptop bag tucked under my arms and did my pradakshina. Imagine carrying the rock heavy Latitude 6420 like that. But there are folks who do panchAng namaskars for every step with heavy laptops while I need hands free while praying.
Current was not there, no zerox. So had to write the letter twice, for police records. Had to repeat what I had lost to every guy (10+) in uniform who asked me. Kept trying my mother’s number which was the only number I remembered and mom had kept phone at home and had gone to office.
3 police guys including a lady police in sari came in police jeep to mutt, where the police were given prasad, coconut, flowers and archak got panchamrutha in small cups in the managers room where we were sitting. Told them, no, already had a tumbler full and the guy said one is not supposed to refuse prasad. So had a second tiny cup of panchamrutha. Police lady said, that she prayed to Raghavendra swamy that I should get the things back. Police didn't file FIR
Office Episode
With the seva counter guy’s money, took a bus and reached office, mailed first to office folks on not being available on mobile. Blocked card and placed request for new card which is yet to come after 9 days. Jai Ho ICICI! Receptionist guided me to legal department and legal guy asked with the greatest sarcasm, “so, how did you manage to lose?” Managers were supportive. By 7:30 pm, after a heated exchange, got a duplicate sim card, which was registered on some Ibrahim’s name as per their records!!! And Vodafone folks have called me so many times for renewing some service or other. Only on Sunday could manage to deactivate automatic call forwarding that the thief had set up.
Friday May 9, Ecospace
Reached the venue for the event, was taking notes furiously in the absence of android recorder and audacity in my laptop and event manager asked me to contact my manager who gave me the number of two people to call - security guy and RPU anna’s number. To cut the long story short, RPU anna resisted selling the laptop, he called up the office security using the number in the id card and security sent mail to all concerned. RPU anna has two cute daughters studying in 1st and 3rd.
Back to Saturday Ekadashi saga
Absolutely pennyless and having exhausted all borrowed money in auto and 1 day AC bus pass, my pushya colleague who escorted me to RPU anna’s home got 2 kgs banganapallis, insisting that bachelors won’t eat fruits. RPU anna said his greatest satisfaction was on having returned things to the rightful owner. Funny life. If it was me, i would not have touched any laptop bag that was not mine, so the question of taking so much trouble to ensure it returns the rightful owner, would not have arisen. Home work for this weekend: to analyze patterns in April 4th or 5th, 2013 and (again got it back on Saturday April 6th, 2013) and Au bracelet that slipped on December 26, 2011 and this year May 8, back on May 10.
May 25 Ekadashi Again
A fortnight later, RPU anna messaged me twice and called me once. I didn't answer his call or text back. Asked my guruji, will that be considered as lack of gratitude. Guruji said no and I left it at that. God bless RPU anna, his two kids, wife and everyone at home. Still waiting for ICICI debit card.
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