Playing a vigilance officer.

This was a funny incident that happened during a trip to Kerala few months ago. As is my practice for years, I board the Tvm Mail at Chennai in the evening with enough stuff to
read to last me atleast till I hit the bed around 10PM. And, since the scheduled arrival
time at my station is 9AM (usually the train is late by atleast 30 mins), I can afford to
sleep late till 8AM or so.

This time also, I was sleeping or actually half-asleep around 8AM when I was woken up
by some shouting coming from the next coupe. What I understood was that a lady had
boarded the train at Cochin and got into the sleeper compartment with only a normal
ticket. And to top it all, she had some 4-5 kids with her.

As per Railway rules it is illegal to do what she did and though the T.T.E. can fine people
caught doing so, they usually ask them to detrain at the next station and board the
unreserved compartment.

However, this T.T.E. looked at it differently. He saw a great opportunity to make some
money on the side. He started off with berating the lady about how grave a mistake she
had done and then went on to explain the huge amount of money that she will have to
pay as fine. And then left it to her. Kind of like "OK, pay this huge amount or pay me
something and I will gloss it over".

I was already irritated having been woken up from my slumber and to top it, here was
a guy brazenly engaging in corruption apart from harassing the poor lady who most
probably did not know that she was not supposed to board that compartment.

I woke up, took a few minutes to freshen up & came back to my seat. I expected atleast
someone to plead the lady's cause, but everyone was sitting back and enjoying the drama,
if you could call it that. Finally, I decided that enough was enough & walked to the T.T.E.,
bent a little (he was sitting) and looked at his badge as if trying to read the name.
This done, I just returned back to my seat and took out a book to read.

As my seat was facing away from the TTE, I am not sure of his facial impression, but I
could bet that he was astonished and maybe this was something he never encountered
in his whole career. There was silence for a couple of minutes and then the TTE walked
over to me and sat on the opposite seat.

TTE : What were you trying to do ?
Me : Just looking at your badge.

TTE : What for ?
Me : What else for other than knowing your name ?

TTE : Why do you want my name ?
Me : Just like that. You have the badge there to indicate your name. Is it a crime to read it ?

TTE : No it is not. But, what are you going to do ? Who are you ? Show me an identity.
Me: Why are you bothered about what I am going to do with that information. And
regarding my identity, all you can demand to see is my ticket. I need not produce my
identity when demanded by the TTE.

TTE : Oh, OK. Why don't you write down my name so that you do not forget ?
ME: Well, now that you mention it, it is a good idea as I might forget. Thanks.

And then I take out my pen and my diary, look again at his badge & note down the name.

Now, the guy is like mad and unsure what to do next. He sits there staring at me for a few
minutes, while I continue reading my book. Everyone around is watching us.

He gets up, goes to the adjoining coupe and says "I am trying to do things as per the law
and here you have people noting down my name for that". And so on .....

Finally, he tells the lady and kids to detrain at the next station and board the unreserved
compartment. No fine charged or bribe demanded.

Mission success, I return to my Malayalam novel by Zachariah.

Moral : All we need to do is stand up against corruption instead of just talking about it.
As in this case, you don't even need to say a word to put the point across.
Let's do our bit to make India corruption-free.

P.S. : Since I travel very often to Kerala, and since the TTEs aboard the train are regulars,
I do come across this guy occasionally. Don't know whether he remembers me though.
But I am sure, he would never forget that incident.