In an unusual turn of events, a thief was overcome with remorse upon realising that he had stolen valuables from the house of a renowned Marathi writer. The thief decided to return the stolen items, which included an LED TV. The house, located in Neral in Maharashtra's Raigad district, belonged to the late Narayan Surve, a celebrated Marathi poet and social activist. Surve, who passed away on August 16, 2010, at the age of 84, was widely respected for his poignant poetry that vividly depicted the struggles of the urban working class.
Born in Mumbai, Surve's literary contributions and activism left an indelible mark on Marathi literature and social thought. The police have acknowledged the unusual circumstances of the case, highlighting the thief's unexpected act of repentance. Surve’s daughter Sujata and her husband Ganesh Ghare now live in the house. They had gone to Virar to be with their son and their house was locked for 10 days. It was during this period that the thief entered the house and stole a few things, including the LED TV set. When he returned to pick up a few more articles the next day, he noticed Surve’s photo and memorabilia in a room.
Thief left a note seeking forgiveness
The thief, who was obviously well-read, was filled with remorse and returned all the items he had picked up. He pasted a small note on a wall, asking for the owner’s forgiveness for stealing from such a great literary figure’s house. Sujata and her husband found the note when they returned from Virar on Sunday, police inspector Shivaji Dhavle of Neral police station said. Police are carrying out further investigation based on the fingerprints found on the TV set and other articles, he said.
Who was Narayan Surve?
Before Narayan Surve rose to fame as a celebrated Marathi poet, he endured a harsh upbringing as an orphan on the streets of Mumbai. His early life was marked by various menial jobs, including working as a domestic help, dishwasher in a hotel, babysitter, pet-dog caretaker, milk delivery boy, porter, and mill hand. These experiences profoundly influenced his poetry, which glorified labour and challenged the established norms in Marathi literature. Surve's work vividly depicted the struggles and dignity of the urban working class, earning him widespread acclaim and leaving a lasting impact on Marathi literary culture. His journey from a life of hardship to becoming a revered poet and social activist serves as an inspiring testament to his resilience and talent.
(With inputs from PTI)
