A dreadful night…

Satyabrata Rout

I was an artist at Rangamandal, Bharat Bhawan, Bhopal during the year 1984-89. I was very much present at the dreadful night; 3rd December 1984. I was living somewhere in the old Bhopal area near by the Union Carbide gas factory. At around 1.30 AM in the night I got up from the bed as I felt irritation in my eyes. Before understanding what had happened, I saw people running on the road covering themselves with blankets. Nobody knew what happened. The burning sensation was so painful, I suddenly opened my door and ran away leaving behind my wife and my new burn baby "Lucy". On the road I saw people running, crawling, dying and dying. Life had no value in that moment. I ran towards Samla Hills. Our own life became very much precious at that moment. People were only running and running and dying on the road. I forgot about my baby and wife. At around 5.30 morning, there was an announcement that, "the gas has stopped leaking and everything is normal now. People can go back their home.” The fact that my wife and baby was not with me came to my mind. But where can I found them. Back home I saw only dead bodies lying scattered on the roads, my wife and child were not among them. Can one imagine what could be my mental state in those fateful hours? They came back around 12 noon. They ran towards Sihore, the nearby town.

We worked under a volunteer organization in the J.P colony, the most affected gas area and tried to clean the dead bodies and put them to their last rites. Tripurari Sharma, an activist and alumni of National School of Drama joined us from Delhi. She wrote a play based on this human tragedy "Banjh Ghati" (The barren land) and we presented it in Bhopal under the direction of Alakh Nandan. I can't forget that dreadful night and the Human tragedy I experienced in my life that took away thousands of innocent soul. I shared my life experience with you all. I strongly protest the court order and stand along with the gas victims. The culprits must be punished.