In Secret Service

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090910/edit.htm#5


In secret service
by Jupinderjit Singh

A train journey provides the best opportunity to read a book at leisure. For the last year or so, I have got many such chances, thanks to my different postings.

I usually read a book about the new place of posting to get acquainted with its history and culture. But crime and spy novels have remained my all-time favourites.

Not any more.

I would now think twice before reading a spy novel while travelling in a train. One almost took me behind bars a few days ago.

It was Mitch Silver’s “In Secret Service”, a gripping historical mystery on well known writer Ian Fleming’s world of spies. Fleming, the creator of James Bond, and Mitch Silver would never have imagined their celebrated works could put an “innocent reader” in such trouble.

I remained engrossed in reading while travelling in an AC coach of the Swaraj Express from Ludhiana to Jammu. When I alighted at Jammu station with a bag on my right shoulder, a cop started walking close to me. As I reached the outer gate after walking for nearly 500 metres, he stopped me.

“Open your bag.” He ordered. “Why.” I asked, “What happened?”

“JK Police. We can search any suspect.” Two other cops surrounded me.

“Suspect? Me? Hey, there seems to be some mistake,” I tried to reason.

“Shut up,” said a rifle-wielding cop in a highly excited tone as if he had caught Charles Sobhraj on the run. Anand Sharma, our photographer at Jammu, had come to pick me up in his car. He came running: “Hey, stop that nonsense, you know who we are?” He said taking out his mobile phone and dialling the number of the SSP, “I will get you suspended right now.” He threatened.

“You talk to whoever you want,” the cops said pushing me slightly away from the bag.

“Was it this”, he picked up the book “In Secret Service” among other books and asked the cop who was the first to follow me. I then remembered I had seen him in my coach also. They then spoke in Dogri or some other language. The excited cop seemed to be disgusted at the other one. I could make out they thought I was some spy who was reading some classified documents.

But would anyone do it openly in a train?

They then found a multi-vitamin bottle that required the lid to be pressed down to open.

The cops refused to press it, thinking it might be an improvised grenade. I pressed and opened it. “You want me to gulp one tablet also?” I asked much to their discomfort.

They hurriedly fled, still puzzled about their own actions. “Hey, you haven’t frisked me. I could be hiding something in my brief or socks. At least see my I-card, buddies.” I said evoking laughter from a crowd that had gathered there.

I vowed never to read a spy novel in a train again. Who knows which “brilliant” cop would give me a thrashing before finding the truth! This time, it only ended in an embarrassment and a hearty laugh.

(The Tribune dated September 10,2009)