Rahul Ka Raat Ka Safar… Aur Jungle Ka Rahasya

Rahul ek normal sa ladka tha jo Delhi mein ek private company mein kaam karta tha. Ek din usse office ka urgent kaam lekar ek chhote se gaon jaana pada jo shehar se kaafi door tha.

Din bhar kaam karte karte shaam ho gayi.

Gaon ke log baar baar Rahul ko keh rahe the, “Beta, raat hone se pehle shehar wapas nikal jao.”

Rahul ne hans kar kaha, “Arey uncle, main gaadi se hoon. Thodi der mein pahunch jaunga.”

Lekin usse kya pata tha ki woh raat uski zindagi ki sabse darawni raat banne wali hai.

Raat ke kareeb 10 baje Rahul apni car lekar wapas shehar ke liye nikal gaya.

Raasta ek ghane jungle se hokar jaata tha.

Sadak bilkul sunsaan thi. Door door tak koi gaadi nahi.

Sirf car ki headlights aur raat ka gehra andhera.

Hawa dheere dheere pedon ke patton ko hila rahi thi. Kabhi kabhi kisi janwar ki halki si awaaz bhi sunai de jaati.

Rahul ne car ka music on kar diya taaki uska darr kam ho.

Lekin kuch der baad usse mehsoos hua ki jungle kuch zyada hi khamosh hai.

Achanak…

Usne road ke beech mein kisi ko khada dekha.

Rahul ne turant brake laga di.

Car ki headlights mein ek safed kapde pehni hui aurat nazar aa rahi thi.

Uske baal lambe aur chehra thoda jhuka hua tha.

Rahul ne dheere se car ka window khola.

“Madam… aap theek hain?” Rahul ne poocha.

Aurat ne dheere se apna chehra uthaya.

Uski aankhen ajeeb si thi… bilkul bejaan.

“Gaon tak chhod doge?” usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.

Rahul thoda ghabra gaya, lekin usne socha shayad koi musibat mein ho.

“Ji… baith jaiye.”

Aurat car ke piche wali seat par baith gayi.

Car phir se chal padi.

Kuch minute tak bilkul khamoshi thi.

Rahul ko rear view mirror mein baar baar lag raha tha ki aurat usse ghoor rahi hai.

Rahul ne darr ko chhupate hue poocha, “Aap itni raat ko jungle mein kya kar rahi thi?”

Kuch seconds tak koi jawab nahi aaya.

Phir dheere se awaaz aayi…

“Main… kisi ka intezaar kar rahi thi.”

Rahul ka gala sukhne laga.

“Kaun?” usne poocha.

Aurat chup rahi.

Thodi der baad Rahul ne phir mirror mein dekha.

Lekin piche seat khali thi.

Rahul ka dil zor zor se dhadakne laga.

Usne turant car roki aur piche mudkar dekha.

Wahan koi nahi tha.

“Yeh kaise ho sakta hai…” Rahul ne khud se kaha.

Car ke saare doors band the.

Koi bahar bhi nahi gaya tha.

Rahul ne jaldi se car start ki aur wahan se nikalne laga.

Lekin kuch hi door jaane ke baad usne phir wahi aurat road ke beech khadi dekhi.

Is baar Rahul ka khoon jam gaya.

“Yeh… yeh kaise mumkin hai?” uske muh se nikla.

Aurat dheere dheere car ki taraf badhne lagi.

Rahul ne turant accelerator daba diya aur car tezi se aage badh gayi.

Uska dil itni tez dhadak raha tha ki usse lag raha tha woh behosh ho jayega.

Kuch der baad usse road ke side ek chhota sa dhaba dikha.

Rahul turant wahan ruk gaya.

Dhaba par ek buddha aadmi baitha tha.

Rahul ne ghabra kar poocha, “Uncle… yahan jungle mein ek aurat khadi thi… safed kapde mein…”

Buddhe aadmi ka chehra ekdum serious ho gaya.

“Tumne usse lift di thi?” usne poocha.

Rahul ka rang udh gaya.

“Ji… kaise pata?”

Buddha aadmi dheere se bola, “Beta… woh aurat insaan nahi hai.”

Rahul ki saansen ruk si gayi.

“20 saal pehle isi road par ek accident hua tha,” buddhe ne kaha.

“Ek ladki apne pati ka intezaar kar rahi thi. Lekin raat ko ek truck ne usse takkar maar di.”

Rahul chup chaap sun raha tha.

“Tab se woh ladki ki aatma isi jungle mein bhatakti hai.”

Rahul ne darr ke saath poocha, “Lekin woh mujhe kyun mili?”

Buddha aadmi bola, “Woh har us insaan ko rokti hai jo raat ko akela is raaste se guzarta hai.”

Rahul ka gala phir se sukh gaya.

“Lekin… woh kisi ko nuksaan nahi pahunchati.”

Rahul ne thoda sukoon ki saans li.

Tabhi buddha aadmi dheere se bola…

“Lekin ek baat ajeeb hai.”

Rahul ne poocha, “Kya?”

“Woh sirf un logon ko dikhai deti hai… jo agle 24 ghante mein marne wale hote hain.”

Rahul ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya.

“Yeh… yeh mazaak hai na?” Rahul ne ghabra kar kaha.

Buddha aadmi chup raha.

Dhaba ke bahar hawa tez chalne lagi.

Pedon ke patte zor zor se hilne lage.

Rahul ne jaldi se paise diye aur car mein baith gaya.

“Yeh sab bakwaas hai,” Rahul khud se bol raha tha.

“Ghosts waise nahi hote.”

Usne car start ki aur shehar ki taraf nikal gaya.

Raat aur bhi gehri ho chuki thi.

Jungle khatam hone wala tha.

Rahul ko thoda sukoon mehsoos hua.

Tabhi uska phone ring hua.

Uska dost Aman call kar raha tha.

“Hello Rahul, tu abhi tak ghar nahi pahucha?” Aman ne poocha.

Rahul ne kaha, “Bas pahunchne wala hoon. Jungle cross kar liya hai.”

Aman kuch seconds tak chup raha.

Phir usne dheere se kaha…

“Rahul… news dekhi kya?”

Rahul ne poocha, “Konsi news?”

Aman ki awaaz thodi heavy ho gayi.

“Yaar… aaj shaam jungle wale road par ek accident hua hai.”

Rahul ne hairani se poocha, “Kaisa accident?”

Aman bola…

“Ek ladka car chala raha tha… aur achanak uski car control se bahar ho gayi.”

Rahul hansne ki koshish karte hue bola, “Toh?”

Aman ne dheere se kaha…

“Us ladke ka naam bhi Rahul tha.”

Rahul ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.

“Pagal hai kya… main hi Rahul hoon aur main bilkul theek hoon,” usne kaha.

Phone ke doosri taraf se khamoshi chha gayi.

Phir Aman bola…

“Yaar… main mazaak nahi kar raha.”

“Police ne us ladke ka phone use karke mujhe call kiya tha.”

Rahul ka dimaag ghoomne laga.

“Lekin… mera phone toh mere paas hai…”

Aman ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi.

“Rahul… woh accident 2 ghante pehle ho chuka hai.”

Rahul ne dheere se rear view mirror mein dekha.

Aur uska khoon jam gaya.

Piche wali seat par wahi safed kapde wali aurat baithi thi.

Is baar uska chehra seedha mirror mein dikh raha tha.

Aur woh dheere se muskurate hue boli…

“Main abhi bhi kisi ka intezaar kar rahi hoon…”