“Dada, are you alright?” Pralay enquired, his eyes fixed on the figure of a man lying on his back beside the road. There was no answer. The man – in his mid-thirties – was wearing a moss-colored shirt and shorts. A white umpire hat and a sturdy walking stick lay by his side. His entire attire resembled a hiker’s. Fearing the worst, he moved closer for further inspection and, to his relief, found that the man was still breathing. There were no signs of injury on his body. He had simply lost consciousness. “Dada, dada?” Pralay shook him gently. “Wake up!” It was 5 in the morning, and Pralay was going to the local police station on his motorbike to report for duty when he had suddenly come across the unconscious stranger on the side of the road. After a few unsuccessful attempts to wake him, Pralay took some water…
