I have written and made videos in the past about one of my most favourite breakfasts that is only available in Zakir Nagar of Delhi — Butter Choley. Now, you would be wondering, who is Rohit and what has he got to do with Butter Choley of Zakir Nagar.

On and off, I like to eat the Butter Choley in breakfast and in today’s date there are only around three shops in Zakir Nagar that sells them. Since, last two years there is also a cart seller, who sells the Butter Choley with Kulcha. The seller’s face looked familiar. I asked, “I have seen you earlier somewhere.” He replied, “I used to work there, pointing to the shop on the opposite.”

That shop was once managed by Rohit and sold Butter Choley. Rohit’s success story was once a buzzword in the bylanes of Zakir Nagar. It is said that he once used to wash utensils in the same eatery. I had heard that, he had come from somewhere in Rajasthan as a small boy in a piece of cloth wrapped around his waist, covering his lower body. He started by washing utensils and gradually went up the ranks; so much so that he was able to take on lease the day to day running of the business.

At one point in 2003-4, his shop sold the best Butter Choley in Zakir Nagar after Aamir Bhai’s canteen of SRK Hostel, Jamia Millia Islamia.

Rohit went on to own a few more eateries around that shop. I vividly remember, in one Eid, he was out on the streets of Zakir Nagar, wishing everyone Eid Mubarak. He was wearing a leather jacket, inspired from John Abraham’s Dhoom jacket, and on the posterior, it was printed Rohit. He was proud of himself.

I asked the cart seller, what happened to Rohit? He replied, “Rohit, fell in some bad company and died of intoxication two years ago. He was staying in Julaina (another area near Zakir Nagar). He went to sleep in an intoxicated state and never woke up. He was found dead in his room two days later.”

An ignominious end to a once successful boy.