N. Francis Xavier
Part XVIII, (Continued from last week)
The officiating Senior Medical Officer Dr. Rajendra Chandra Mitter was a busy man that morning. A new ward was being inaugurated by the Chief Commissioner Col. Cadell. The whole hospital was scrubbed clean. All the patients were given a good haircut and shave. Their hospital dresses were spotlessly clean. A red ribbon was tied to the entrance to the new ward. The road leading to the hospital was decorated with buntings and palm fronds.
It was meant for the growing number of lunatics in the settlement.
The foundation for the ‘Lunatic Ward’ was laid during Gen. D.M. Stewart’s time. He felt it was not good for the image of Port Blair to have lunatics roaming free on the streets. Their number seemed to be increasing every day. As there was no special arrangement for them he proposed that a special ward be built in Haddo hospital for their care and confinement. They shall be given some light tasks to keep themselves occupied. They shall, henceforth, be known as the “Convalescent Lunatic Gang”. The “Convalescent Lunatic Gang” came into being.
Prominent among the crowd was Rasool Baksh, convict No. 16087. Known all over Port Blair for his merry disposition Rasool was a ‘harmless lunatic’. He could be seen anywhere in the bazaar, laughing and breaking out into song whenever spoken to. He was a particular favourite of the late Senior Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Dougall who took special care of him. Rasool too loved him as if he were his own father. The death of Dr. Dougall of typhoid was a great shock for Rasool.
The sounding of the bugle announced the arrival of Col. Cadell. He came on horseback, followed by Capt. Protheroe and Capt. Birch.
Dr. Mitter came to the porch, saluted and received Col. Cadell. Rasool also rushed forward and saluted.
“Kaise ho, Rasool?” Cadell enquired.
“Tu kaise ho?” Rasool replied, in his characteristic fashion. It was this reply that got him into trouble with Gen. Stewart.
Anticipating the reply, Cadell laughed and slapped him on the back. He cut the ribbon and entered the ward.
The ‘harmless lunatics’ greeted him in their own way. Cadell didn’t bother, having known them.
But there was one ‘sullen face’ he did not like. It was not a lunatic’s. He knew it well. There was no response to his query from the ‘sullen face’.
Cadell knew that he had to put the ‘sullen face’ among the lunatics so that he may not do the ‘hard labour’ like the other convicts, which he richly deserved for the crime he had committed.
The ‘sullen face’ was a young man, well built, dark complexioned with piercing eyes. Cruelty was visible in his looks.
Cadell’s mind went back to his descriptive roll, and the fat file that was attached to it. The details of the horrific crime he committed flashed in front of his eyes.
Dibya Singh Dev, the Raja of Puri, was the son of Raja of Khemandi. He was adopted by the childless Raja of Puri when he was four years of age. After he attained majority he assumed the title of Raja of Puri. His main duty was to administer the temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri.
A look at Dibya Singh’s face told Cadell that he had access to opium. In spite of the stringent measures opium was freely available to the convicts in Port Blair.
According to the file Dibya Singh was addicted to bhang and opium from a very early age. He was a spoilt child. Instead of learning to read and write from tutors he spent all his time in the special wrestling pit he built inside the palace, in the company of bad friends.
Dibya Singh’s administration of the temple affairs was not liked by the hereditary priests. He started levying a fee on the worshippers and reduced the quantity of the ‘prasad’ served to them. The priests complained to the Commissioner at Cuttack. Annoyed, Dibya Singh got the priests beaten up by his bodyguards.
Worried about his unruly behavior the Queen mother requested one Sibadas, a man believed to have divine powers of healing, to treat him. When Dibya Singh learnt that Sibadas gave some sacred ash for him he became furious. His friends convinced him that it was a plan to poison him.
One day Dibya Singh’s cronies lured Sibadas inside the palace. He was taken to the wrestling pit where inhuman tortures were perpetrated on him.
Col. Cadell shuddered at the descriptions in the file “ … a piece of pith thrust up the rectum and then set on fire… an iron wire inserted into…and quicklime poured over it…different parts of body burnt…”.
The torture went on for four hours. When Sibadas’ screams stopped he was thrown out of the palace for dead.
But Sibadas did not die. He regained consciousness and crawled to the temple. He was picked up by policemen on duty and take to the police station. The collector and superintendent of police arrived. Sibadas, in spite of the great pain, made a dying statement. He was taken to the hospital where he survived for another two weeks suffering terrible agony. During the time the Raja was arrested and brought before him. He identified him and his nine accomplices.
The Sibadas murder case shook not only Orissa but the whole India. The British, always sympathetic towards native princes tried to down play the case. But the evidence was too strong against Dibya Singh. The sessions court at Cuttack sentenced him and four others to transportation for life to Andamans.
Dibya Singh’s lawyers appealed against the verdict in Calcutta High Court. It was struck down and Dibya Singh taken to Presidency jail to be sent to Andamans.
The convict roll showed the date of Dibya Singh’s arrival in Andamans – 4 September 1878. And the term of his imprisonment — ‘for life’. Because of his violent nature his legs were put in fetters.
As a special concession he was put in the Lunatic gang and given light tasks.
“You deserve to be hanged Mr. Raja. What a pity! One day the people in India may think you are also a freedom fighter!”, Cadell thought, as he went past him.
As he completed the inspection and was about to mount his horse Rasool came towards him.
“When’s Hemraj coming back?” he shouted. Cadell’s face clouded.
“I’ll invite you to witness his flogging followed by hanging at Viper gallows very soon…” Cadell shouted as he spurred the horse.(to be continued….).
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