Train to Pakistan

The train carrying corpses brought with it a cloud of fear and suspicion to the village of Mano Majra, and people began barricading their doors in fear. Suspicion among neighbors became commonplace. The train disappeared one morning, and there was no sign of the funeral pyre, but people still waited, apprehensively, for more death to come to the village. But first, the head constable and his posse of policemen arrived and released Malli and his gang, placing them on probation and ordering them to report to the police station on a weekly basis. The villagers know that Jugga and Iqbal are innocent of the robbery, and that Malli’s gang was guilty, but the police didn’t ask for their opinions. The head constable proceeded to ask the lambradar about Sultana and his gang, and while the lambradar stated that he had left for Pakistan with the rest of the Muslims in his village, the constable raises doubts about this. The constable further suggests that Mohammed Iqbal and the Muslim League may have been involved in the crime. He tells the villagers to report back to him with any information. Although Meet Singh protests that Iqbal is not a Muslim, the constable ignores him, and tells a subordinate to arrange military aid for the evacuation of the Muslim population.  

The constable’s actions divide the village, with Muslims staying in their houses, trading stories of how Muslims had been mistreated by Sikhs; while Sikhs, sullen and angry, spread the word not to trust their Muslim neighbors. Long-held grudges over Muslim crimes against Sikhs throughout Indian history re-surface, as do stereotypes about Muslim treatment of women and other religions. Both sides are torn between fear and anger, and the peace that once characterized Mano Majra seems at an end. 

A group of Sikh peasants, led by Meet Singh, gather in the house of the lambradar. Meet Singh continues to insist that Iqbal is one of them and should be trusted, but many villagers remain suspicious. They argue that if the police released Malli and his gang, they must be innocent, despite the evidence. Meet Singh continues to argue Iqbal and Jugga’s innocence, but the village youth in particular are incensed. They are increasingly ready to turn on their Muslim neighbors, describing them as snakes. Singh becomes angry, refusing to hold his neighbors responsible for the crimes of Muslims far from Mano Majra, and the lambradar steps in, trying to calm the village and arguing that they should limit their suspicion to the new refugees in the village. The meeting eventually concludes that they should not turn on their Muslim neighbors. They are joined by Imam Baksh and some of his fellow Muslims. Imam Baksh asks whether a decision has been reached and one of the younger men, whom Meet Singh had upbraided, promises to protect the village Muslims and rain hell down on anyone who threatens them. The villagers reaffirm that they are all brothers, but worry about the larger forces outside the village they can’t control.  They are also concerned about the large number of refugees coming from Pakistan. They have heard of instances where refugees formed angry mobs around the villages they arrived in and threatened the Muslims within. With a heavy heart, the lambradar advises Imam Baksh and his fellow Muslims to protect their homes and leave for the refugee camps until the threat passes. He assures them that they are welcome to stay in the village, but for their own safety he advises them to leave. Imam Baksh reluctantly agrees and encourages his fellow Muslims to accept this course of action before leaving the meeting in tears. 

That night, Imam Baksh returns home and tells Nooran that they have to pack and leave. Nooran refuses, saying she will never go to Pakistan. Her father tells her that all Muslims are leaving for the camp and they won’t be safe if they stay behind, because hundreds of thousands of people are crossing the borders and they will be massively outnumbered. He tells Nooran to pack while he goes to warns others, but she sneaks out to try to find Jugga, hoping that he has been released along with Malli and his gang. All around her, she sees Muslim families packing. She arrives at Jugga’s house and waits outside, hoping to see him, but eventually she is found by Jugga’s mother when the old woman returns home. She tries to ask Jugga’s mother for information, but the old woman lashes out at her, blaming the girl for all of her son’s troubles. Even the fact that Nooran’s family is leaving does not soften her demeanor. When Nooran tells his mother that Jugga has promised to marry her, the woman tells her to go to Pakistan and threatens to tell the village about her relationship with Jugga. It is only when Nooran begs her to give Jugga a message that the old woman softens. This is when Nooran confesses that she is pregnant with Jugga’s child. Jugga’s mother says that she can’t keep her in the village, but that Jugga will come and find her as soon as he is free. Nooran fears that if her father finds out, he will force her to marry someone else, or even kill her. Jugga’s mother promises that Jugga will find her and marry her, and Nooran leaves with a little more hope in her heart. When Nooran returns home, she finds her father has already returned. He assumed she was out seeing her friends, and they pack what little they own together. 

The next morning, it is raining when a large convoy arrives and a Muslim and a Sikh officer come out. They knock on every door in the village and order all Muslims to come out. The Muslims slowly file out of their homes, and the rest of the village of Mano Majra emerges to see them off. However, soon the lambradar and the Muslim officer begin to argue. The officer tells the villagers that they are not able to transport all of their luggage to Pakistan. This is another shock for the Muslims villagers, as they were only planning to leave for a few days and expected to take their belongings with them. No-one was planning to go to Pakistan. The Muslim officer orders the lambradar to look after the people’s belongings, but he is hesitant, saying he fears that all the additional property will corrupt people and lead to conflict. The officer speaks to the crowd and informs them that they have ten minutes to get on board the convoy, which will take them to the train, and they can only take what they can carry. Meet Singh appeals to the Sikh officer, seeking compassion, but the Sikh officer taunts him with a vicious speech, in which he implies that the village is uncivilized and its people will only learn the truth by having their families brutalized. Malli and his gang arrive and promise to look after the property, but no one in the village trusts them, however, the officers take them up on this offer. The Sikh officer summons the lambradar and tells him that Malli and his men have been appointed custodians of the abandoned property of the village Muslims, and anyone interfering with them will be shot. As soon as the officers are gone, Malli and his gang loot the goods and take the cattle away with them.