The driver tried all his skills to get the wheel out of the channel, but all efforts seemed to be in vain as the wheel sunk further. Some villagers working in the nearby fields gathered by then and started watching the police making efforts for getting the heavy vehicle out. As more time passed, several ideas originated in different minds and were tried, but, none seemed to work in the wet fields. Villagers by then assembled about 3 tractors from the vicinity and joining them to each other and the Landmine-proof vehicle by chains made an effort to pull it out. As the power seemed less, more tractors were roped in to pull out the vehicle. After a lot of human effort and a combined pull of 7 tractors joined together with chains, the stuck wheel finally came out and the vehicle was now ready to move. By this time it was clear that there was no point trying to move ahead in the same vehicle as there was every likelihood of facing the same problem in more places since such channels were present across most agricultural fields through which the road passed.

The best solution was to drive the vehicle back in the reverse gear to the Forest Rest house and to then park it at the Police Station to be moved again on some other day when the roads would be firm and dry enough after the rains ended. The same was done and by the time we returned back to the rest house, it was already 5 p.m. as drizzling had again started. Fearing more rains and sudden flash floods, we could not move out on even the third consecutive night which followed more or less the same routine with everyone only more tired and restless.  The next morning, we left for Valmikinagar on vehicles leaving behind the Landmine-proof vehicle at the Police Station, from where it could finally be brought back to Bagaha only after a month or so.

To be continued....