तेरा तो भरोसा मुझे भारी

Summary

A contractor complained to the police about a theft. Two policemen went to investigate but found only the suspect's weeping wife. A sadhu was sitting with a group of Bhils. When the police began their inquiry, the real thief had already fled, raising suspicion. The police wanted to detain the wife to lure her husband. When she was asked to go to the police station, she became terrified. The Bhils gathered, and the sadhu started to leave. Suspicious, the police caught him as he fled. A search of his bag revealed about one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five rupees. Under questioning, he confessed to the theft, claiming he had thrown away the coat and was running to avoid capture. The sadhu was known for his saintly ways. He would go from house to house, accepting only a little flour, never cash. He found contentment in whatever he received, whether it was food or a rebuff. He spent his time with the Bhils, teaching them to live together in harmony, not to drink, and to care for each other. They respected him and often sought his counsel. He kept their savings for them. The narrator, who had met this sadhu before, felt a mix of shame and curiosity upon seeing him in police custody. The police inspector, however, believed the sadhu was innocent. He had taken the blame to protect the Bhil worker who had actually stolen the coat and money. The real thief had returned upon learning the sadhu was arrested. The inspector was in a difficult position, as the contractor insisted on pressing charges against the sadhu, while the sadhu himself maintained his false confession. The inspector was trying to find a way to resolve the situation justly, bound by duty and law.