Matchbox letter sets internet on fire

BAREILLY: It’s a straight letter, but the internet is doubling up with laughter over it. When Sushil Kumar, an assistant engineer (meter) in the electricity urban test division of Moradabad, wrote an official letter — complete with stamp — to his junior Mohit Pant on February 1, he had no idea that he would become such a social media sensation. But one just has to read his agonised missive to see why.

Kumar writes in the subject line: “For not returning the matchbox borrowed on January 23”. Then he tells Pant, an office assistant with EUTD, with a copy marked to the superintendent: “A matchbox which was kept in the office to light Mortein (mosquito coils) was borrowed by you at 8.40 pm on Tuesday, January 23. It had 19 matchsticks. But, as a matter of deep sorrow, even after a week, the matchbox has not been returned, causing unspeakable miseries to the staff, especially in evening.”

Return matchbox within 3 days, asst engineer wrote to junior

The assistant engineer further says: “You are directed to kindly ensure that the aforementioned matchbox is returned within three days of the receipt of this letter. Also, it should be ensured that no confrontational situation is born out of this dispute and mutual faith is restored among co-workers. In a situation contrary to one desired, you will solely be responsible for any official action.”

“An untrained computer operator who recently joined our department had asked me to provide format for an official letter marked to our seniors. I was about to write a sample letter on some other issue when there was a sudden power cut. As I needed a matchbox to light the candle, it reminded me that my colleague Mohit Pant hadn’t returned it to me. I wrote the sample letter on this, but didn’t dispatch it. However, somebody from our office clicked a picture of the letter and posted it on social media,” Kumar told TOI.

Pant, to whom the letter is addressed, wasn’t amused. “I learnt about it on Friday evening when my colleagues started calling me up. I later received a copy of the letter on WhatsApp and contacted Kumar sir who explained to me the whole thing.”