Assault
This is a story of a modern cosmopolitan girl of this generation and the corporate whales around her. She is one of those whose story is never shared. Suguna was college recruit and was still continuing my college days when this story started. The company and the team she was supposed to join was a midsized company. It was team of senior manager, manager, leads and the developer gang ASE, SE and SSE headed by the local head. This guy was in his mid fifties, and a multi level senior to her. We would like call him Z henceforth.
Z's swanky wheels can be often spotted parked in front of her college gate as he used to come to drop his daughter who was in the same college.
Once she joined office he welcomed the new freshers bunch with open arms. Suguna have never ever doubted his characters or nature, may be she was short sighted then. But in retrospect she was too novice.They never used to have any direct interactions as there was a major level gap, but as it was a really small office every body used to bump into each other. In every office party this guy was present and he always use to chip in between and start talking with the juniors. He used to drape his hand in her shoulders and would inquire in general, so stupid, hah? Her mistake was she never interpreted it as a flirteous move and always thought that he is almost of her dads age - and this is a senior to junior concern conversation.
Kolkata is famous for the kalbaisakhi and often there are forecasts about cyclones thrashing the bay of bengal coast. In such cases the offices often used to announce a earlier than usual closure. They didnt have a office bus, so if u ever miss a office shuttle then running the flying shuttles in sector 5 is the only go to option. Introducing the second character in this story, Mr Y. He was a tester in her project a married guy with two kids. He often used to ask her whether she need a drop. She always used to politely refuse. But that was a fateful day. Due to the cyclone threat and the heavy gust of wind most of the shuttles where off the road. So when Y parked his car and insisted for a ride, she oblidged and told him to drop her at the busy spot of sdf where the probability of getting a shuttle is more.
That was when her nightmare started. He started blabbering then praising and then irritating her. Y said sector 5 is not safe for girls and he is concerned about her safety. When she was about to get down, he increased the speed and never stopped. And Suguna knew for sure that she was in danger. She waited eagerly for the next busy spot chingrihata to come. That was a busy signal and so ideally she should get a chance to get down. He went on talking about how ardently he likes her, how he was forced into his marriage and how his parents has tied him in a unhappy marriage with two kids and how he is capable enough to deserve somebody better. By this time chingrihata came and the signal was open. But she didnt get a chance to get down. And he professed how much he likes her and whether she reiterate the same feelings. He kept on pestering her. If you have been to that stretch u should know that a bypass connects this to ruby hospital node via science city node. He has taken bypass. And u know for sure that this is a long dark strech of highway and he is surely at advantage. Her cool and quick wit is the only weapon that might stop the devil at bay. If she confront, he can either do what he wants to do, or can drop her at the middle of bypass where there is a high chance of accident or a threat of being prey to antisocfials. Remember its a highway with little policing at that time of night.
Suguna sensed that he was getting adamant, and she was preparing herself for some big fight. Science city passed by. Just when they reached Ruby there was a policeman and a patrol van. She almost screamed and opened the car door. He just has to slow down with no option left. It was raining heavily, and she jumped out off the vehicle. No idea how she returned back. She was too scared that he will follow her so got in to a rickshaw.
When she reached home her mom suggetsed to lodge a complint in office against Y. Suguna was apprehensive initially and later on confided in a senior lady colleague. She took her to the HR, and the incident was reiterated. She assured that steps will be taken and utmost secrecy will be ensured. But Alas.
In the next couple of days HR called her to check whether he is misbehaving or not. Slowly Suguna started forgetting it as a one-of-a-kind horrid past. 2 months down the line they had a office picnic, and she went with her friends. It was amidst heavy beat of drums they are dacing, and suddenly Z came and said, hope everything is fine. Let me know if Y ever disturbs you. He has been given a disciplinary showcause letter. He gesture he cannot listen to her due to heavy drum beats. So we moved towards a less chaotic place. He said - If you want, we can terminate him. Just when she was about to say something he signalled that its too much noise. And like that they drifted away from her friends. By the time she realised this she was already in other side of the garden. And the moment everybody was out of sight he was in his form. He started saying how lovely and bubbly she look and tried his antics and touching her inappropriately. Suguna imeediately started walking back, but he stopped me. He said -You know i can make or break your career and you know how much money i can spend. By then she realised that she managed to shoo away the dog but entered the leopard's den. This ordeal continued. She was too frightened as well as numbed with shock for his gestures. She didnt know how much time has passed by. Her friends started searching for her, and when they reached their he said he is having some important discussion and its confidential so everybody should leave. Some half n hour past, somebody shouted his name, that the bus is leaving - 'where are you two'. And a senior person came in to check whether any body is left out. That was her chance, she ran towards the bus.
The saddest part is after the week when she joined back, Suguna sensed that there was discussions going in hushed tone. No body has the courage to question him. Even her friends had a lot of questions on what went on. It took quite some time to share this horrible ordeal with her friends even. Post this she was in a shock for many many days, she never expected him to behave like that. Nor expected the HR to ditch by not maintaining the confidentiality of the matter.
He still runs scot free and professionally very well placed. Suguna never had the courage to file a complaint against him because no body would go against him and risk their career. I feel very sorry for her that though she managed to reprimand the dog, she was not able to punish the leopard. This feeling of helplessness will probably stay with her for her entire life.
Z's swanky wheels can be often spotted parked in front of her college gate as he used to come to drop his daughter who was in the same college.
Once she joined office he welcomed the new freshers bunch with open arms. Suguna have never ever doubted his characters or nature, may be she was short sighted then. But in retrospect she was too novice.They never used to have any direct interactions as there was a major level gap, but as it was a really small office every body used to bump into each other. In every office party this guy was present and he always use to chip in between and start talking with the juniors. He used to drape his hand in her shoulders and would inquire in general, so stupid, hah? Her mistake was she never interpreted it as a flirteous move and always thought that he is almost of her dads age - and this is a senior to junior concern conversation.
Kolkata is famous for the kalbaisakhi and often there are forecasts about cyclones thrashing the bay of bengal coast. In such cases the offices often used to announce a earlier than usual closure. They didnt have a office bus, so if u ever miss a office shuttle then running the flying shuttles in sector 5 is the only go to option. Introducing the second character in this story, Mr Y. He was a tester in her project a married guy with two kids. He often used to ask her whether she need a drop. She always used to politely refuse. But that was a fateful day. Due to the cyclone threat and the heavy gust of wind most of the shuttles where off the road. So when Y parked his car and insisted for a ride, she oblidged and told him to drop her at the busy spot of sdf where the probability of getting a shuttle is more.
That was when her nightmare started. He started blabbering then praising and then irritating her. Y said sector 5 is not safe for girls and he is concerned about her safety. When she was about to get down, he increased the speed and never stopped. And Suguna knew for sure that she was in danger. She waited eagerly for the next busy spot chingrihata to come. That was a busy signal and so ideally she should get a chance to get down. He went on talking about how ardently he likes her, how he was forced into his marriage and how his parents has tied him in a unhappy marriage with two kids and how he is capable enough to deserve somebody better. By this time chingrihata came and the signal was open. But she didnt get a chance to get down. And he professed how much he likes her and whether she reiterate the same feelings. He kept on pestering her. If you have been to that stretch u should know that a bypass connects this to ruby hospital node via science city node. He has taken bypass. And u know for sure that this is a long dark strech of highway and he is surely at advantage. Her cool and quick wit is the only weapon that might stop the devil at bay. If she confront, he can either do what he wants to do, or can drop her at the middle of bypass where there is a high chance of accident or a threat of being prey to antisocfials. Remember its a highway with little policing at that time of night.
Suguna sensed that he was getting adamant, and she was preparing herself for some big fight. Science city passed by. Just when they reached Ruby there was a policeman and a patrol van. She almost screamed and opened the car door. He just has to slow down with no option left. It was raining heavily, and she jumped out off the vehicle. No idea how she returned back. She was too scared that he will follow her so got in to a rickshaw.
When she reached home her mom suggetsed to lodge a complint in office against Y. Suguna was apprehensive initially and later on confided in a senior lady colleague. She took her to the HR, and the incident was reiterated. She assured that steps will be taken and utmost secrecy will be ensured. But Alas.
In the next couple of days HR called her to check whether he is misbehaving or not. Slowly Suguna started forgetting it as a one-of-a-kind horrid past. 2 months down the line they had a office picnic, and she went with her friends. It was amidst heavy beat of drums they are dacing, and suddenly Z came and said, hope everything is fine. Let me know if Y ever disturbs you. He has been given a disciplinary showcause letter. He gesture he cannot listen to her due to heavy drum beats. So we moved towards a less chaotic place. He said - If you want, we can terminate him. Just when she was about to say something he signalled that its too much noise. And like that they drifted away from her friends. By the time she realised this she was already in other side of the garden. And the moment everybody was out of sight he was in his form. He started saying how lovely and bubbly she look and tried his antics and touching her inappropriately. Suguna imeediately started walking back, but he stopped me. He said -You know i can make or break your career and you know how much money i can spend. By then she realised that she managed to shoo away the dog but entered the leopard's den. This ordeal continued. She was too frightened as well as numbed with shock for his gestures. She didnt know how much time has passed by. Her friends started searching for her, and when they reached their he said he is having some important discussion and its confidential so everybody should leave. Some half n hour past, somebody shouted his name, that the bus is leaving - 'where are you two'. And a senior person came in to check whether any body is left out. That was her chance, she ran towards the bus.
The saddest part is after the week when she joined back, Suguna sensed that there was discussions going in hushed tone. No body has the courage to question him. Even her friends had a lot of questions on what went on. It took quite some time to share this horrible ordeal with her friends even. Post this she was in a shock for many many days, she never expected him to behave like that. Nor expected the HR to ditch by not maintaining the confidentiality of the matter.
He still runs scot free and professionally very well placed. Suguna never had the courage to file a complaint against him because no body would go against him and risk their career. I feel very sorry for her that though she managed to reprimand the dog, she was not able to punish the leopard. This feeling of helplessness will probably stay with her for her entire life.
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