Rest in Peace DP

I know that I am quite late in writing this but I couldn’t help it. It took me long to come to terms with the loss of one of my close friends. His name is Daidipya Kamble…..lovingly called as DP. He was a smart, suave and sober person who always looked dapper in whatever he wore. Maybe that was because he had an athletic physique which sportspersons generally have (he was the goalkeeper of the VJTI soccer team). I remember I used to make fun of his goalkeeping skills although at the back of my mind I knew that he was really good (that he was in the college team speaks for him). He used to take all that mockery in good humour. Even he used to get back at me for my antics and the way I speak (it’s the speed with which I speak). A couple of our friends and we had an absolutely great time during the ADSP (Advanced Digital Signal Processing) practical sessions in the 7th sem. That was the most memorable period in VJTI for me till today. Sometimes I used to show off my football skills (or the lack of it) to him and we used to have a hearty laugh about it.

Suddenly, these things were no more; never to happen again. It’s like some wicked witch has managed to rob me of a dear friend; and I was all too helpless.

It happened on the fateful evening of 14th May. Some of my friends and DP were in the college enjoying themselves as the final sem exams just got over. DP had got his bike all the way from Navi Mumbai (I wonder why). It was around 6:30 in the evening when DP decided to head for home and his friends saw him off. Sometime later, on the way, his bike skid through at Suman Nagar and he injured himself probably striking a tanker infront of him. Since no one was with him, we don’t know what exactly happened but he suffered severe groin injuries. He was reportedly taken to Juoy Hospital, Chembur (private hospital) but since this was a case of accident and might involve the police, the hospital’s authorities referred him to Rajawadi Hospital (govt. hospital). It was then that my classmates came to know about this from DP’s relatives and I came to know from my friends. To make things worse for the Kamble family, DP’s parents were out on a holiday to Nainital.

But there are a few questions still lingering in my mind: when did DP exactly succumb to his injuries? Was he brought dead to the Juoy Hosp. or did he die on the way to Rajawadi Hosp.?? was there any chance of saving him at any of the hospitals?? How did his bike skid in the first place?? Was there any third party involved in this fateful incident?? Because we surely don’t want to let the culprit roam around freely when our friend had to pay with his life. I cannot even imagine the excruciating pain that he had to go through before he met his end.

I am confused….really confused…..what should I do?? Should I mourn the death of my friend and feel sad that he had to depart for heavenly abode at such an early age when beautiful things were all lined up for his taking but he couldn’t even make the start?? Or should I sympathize with and console his parents and sister who are mentally struggling to accept the fact and are getting emotionally drained more and more with every passing moment. DP’s parents may be blaming themselves for not taking DP along with them as if that would have saved him (such feelings are natural when you desperately try to find out what could have been done to avert the situation). I fail to imagine the emotional turbulence that his kid sister must be going through as she will have no one to turn to to solve her maths problems or to talk her through tough times which generally occur during teenage times (children do not always confide in their parents). On whom will his parents depend when they grow old as that’s when people require the support of their children. DP’s father may be better off at handling this situation as he will stay distracted ( I am being optimistic) with office work but what about his mother?? It will be nauseating for her to spend time within the four walls of the house……..It will be claustrophobic. The person who is gone is gone……..it’s the ones he has left behind who have to suffer from the trauma.

I wish, hope and pray that DP finds peace wherever he goes but it will be difficult for him to find peace as he had a lot of duties to fulfill which the Almighty didn’t allow him to.