NOSTALGIC MEMORIES This incidentwas in 1965’s while I was working as Telephone inspector. I was working as in chargeof Sankari RS Telephone Exchange. Ireceived a letter authoring me to collect from Sankagiri court the copper wirerecovered in a theft case. Actually the court notice was served on Divisional engineer Salem. He authorizedme to collect it.
I promptlyattended the court in the mentioned time. I thought I should simply collect the item and put in a big bag and comeby a bus back to my station. I thought it was a heavy item and apprehension ofhow to bring it safely. Iwas asked to wait outside when I reached the court. When thecase was called, they announced Divisional Engineer, Salem. I went inside. They asked me to stand in thewitness enclosure and take oath. I never imagined such a situation would cometo me. First question was to prove myidentity. Fortunately I had taken the authorization letter, which had thedetails of theft case number. On those days we hadno ID card. I was askedwhat was the case given to police. Inever knew what was the case, since I joined just three months back as a new Telephone inspector.After praying Lord Vigneswara I answered it was theft of copper wire in theSalem- Sankagiri route. Somehow it matched. The nextquestion was how I identify it was copper wire used in telecom line aftershowing the recovered bits of copper wire, half melted. Just seeingthe edge I could gather the gauge and answered it was from telegraph line. At that time most of the telecomcopper trunk lines had been replaced with ACSR wires. So the itemwas identified, I was asked to collect it after signing in court document. It weighed about0.5 Kg only. Iput it in the hand bag and next day went to the Divisional engineer office. WhenI told the purpose to the attendant of DE, I was asked to give it to one Junior engineerworking in that office dealing with such items. I got an acknowledgement “received”from that JE behind the letter given to me. I never met the DE. On those days aDE was a VIP in telecom. I can makeout some questions were asked by Magistrate and some by an advocate at thismoment since the incident happened before 56 years. This incidentcame to my memory while watching the TV news about Attapadi Madhu murder caseand a Lady eye doctor of Government Hospital directed to test the eyesight of awitness. I imagined howshe has to give her test report!!! In fact whileI started to collect the material, I was thinking I would be HONORED MUCH and asked to simply collect the item bysigning. I never imagined I should stand on witness enclosure and answerthe questions from magistrate and advocate. Perhaps theprocedures may have changed now. GopalakrishnanDated 18-9-2022 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1113008245.1051922.1663482499777%40mail.yahoo.com.
