Rajesh Parekh Dawn came to Puri like a slow bruise as the Bay of Bengal heaved against the shore, and when the water pulled back it left more than shells and plastic cups; it left a girl whose hair spread like seaweed, whose red kurti clung like skin, whose cheek bore a crescent of sand as if the beach had tried to close her eyes. Sankar Pradhan found her because he was always earlier than the gulls, because nets do not wait for proper daylight, because the sea pays better attention to men who arrive first. He waded, shouted, and…