Chikna by TSV Raghavan

Senior Inspector Jacob Janardhanan sat on his desk reading a file and sipping the piping hot tea that was served to him a few moments earlier. It was his seventh cup from the time when he came to the office last evening. There was one cigarette left in the packet that he had bought on the way to the office. And it was a pack of twenty. 'Too many cigarettes and too many teas' He thought ruefully. 'I'll have to cut down.'

This was a resolution he made every day, and broke after a few hours. Nothing had changed in the past twenty years. It was 4 AM and Jacob had finished reading the file. He stretched himself on the chair and then went to the wash room.

"I am a little tired." He told the constable. "I shall go to the back room and lie down a bit. Don't wake me up unless it is absolutely important."

"Yes Sir." The constable replied.

                                      ***************************

Very tall, very thin with a long face and sharp features, Jacob with his receding hairline and brooding deep set black eyes would have blended perfectly into a college room or a seminar. He was an intellectual and he looked it. He was a voracious reader and had a gluttonous appetite for knowledge. He had chosen to be a cop not because of the action involved but because he loved to solve mysteries. He had an excellent record and had won several rewards, increments and awards for his devotion, sincerity, and hard work. Meticulousness was a habit with him. He had solved many cases by sheer scientific and logical analysis and was averse to using force.

The phone rang and the constable picked up. Some one was reporting an accident. The constable jotted down the details on a pad and then rang up the patrolling party. The accident had happened at the east coast road near a place called Uthandi some half a kilometer away from the sea.

When Jacob came out at 5AM, the constable told him about the phone call. Jacob nodded when the constable told him about the action taken. Jacob went to the wash room again and drank a glass of water. The phone rang again. He picked up.

"Pallavakkam police station,"

"Jacob Sir, Chellappa here."

"Tell me."

"Sir I am at the site where the accident occurred."

"Oh!"

"Sir I think its some thing that could interest you."

Jacob’s drowsiness vanished. He listened for a moment and then ran out to his bike, shouting instructions to the constable on the way.

                                      ****************************

The car lay inside a ditch with the front side hitting the ground and the back side hanging obscenely in air. It was a red colored Maruti Zen but in that early morning light, the color wasn't very clear.

There were a lot of police men and a couple of them were standing inside the pit. Jacob parked his bike near the patrol car and walked towards a dark well built man who was talking on the Walkie talkie.

"Hello Chellappa."

The man saluted and Jacob acknowledged the salute.

"Sir, As soon as I got the message from your station I came here."

Jacob nodded.

"I saw the car in this condition and immediately got down to see if I could save the people inside. But there is only one man and he is dead."

Jacob nodded again and went near the pit. Then he peered inside. The police men were careful not to tamper with anything. Chellappa had told them that Mr Jacob was on the way.

"Informed the ambulance?"

"Yes Sir. They are on the way."

As if on cue they heard the sound of the fast approaching ambulance. Men got out and laid out the stretcher.

"Please be careful." Chellappa went and told the chief among them. "This is a police case."

Chellappa was one of Jacob's favorite assistants. At thirty five he was ten years younger than Jacob. In the initial stages he had had an opportunity to work under Jacob and had learnt a lot from the experience. Even after they were posted to different police stations or check posts, Chellappa had kept in touch with his mentor. When ever he came across a case, Chellappa applied his mind to it, the way Jacob had taught him. This had borne the desired results and Chellappa was praised for his style of working on the cases. Where ever he had doubts, Chellappa would not hesitate to contact Jacob who in turn would extend all possible help. And this time too it wasn’t different. Chellappa had called Jacob as soon as he studied the over turned car.

                                      *****************************                                             

The body was carefully extracted and brought up. Jacob and Chellappa went closer to have a look.

It was that of a remarkably handsome male dressed in a white shirt and dark trousers. The man wore white socks and brown shoes which looked quite expensive. He was obviously well to do. As the body was placed on the stretcher, Jacob peered at it. On the right wrist the dead man wore a   golden watch. He also wore expensive rings on the fingers of both his hands. There was a faint smell of perfume from his clothes. The eyes were half open. What intrigued Jacob most was that, except for a few scratch marks the beautiful face was intact. The face was oval, with regular features, a thin clipped moustache, and fleshy lips, the color of mahogany. The man was a smoker.

The ambulance took the body away to the nearest hospital.

                                      ***********************                          

Jacob and Chellappa returned to Jacob's office. Jacob called the constable who was on duty at the time when the call came. That man had completed his night duty and was eager to go home. Jacob did not detain him.

"What time did the call come?"

"At 4.40 A.M. Sir"

"Thanks, you may go now"

Jacob then put a call to the control room. "Please trace the call which came to Pallavakkam police station at 4. 40 AM."

Tea and biscuits arrived.

"Now tell me brother what makes you feel that there is something special about this accident." Jacob smiled at Chellappa.

"Sir, Yesterday night there was a downpour at east coast road. The car had fallen into the ditch on the side which would be used by a driver while going from Chennai towards Mahabalipuram."

Jacob nodded.

"The way it ended up at the ditch, at such an hour, shows that it was running at quite a speed."

 Jacob nodded again.

"Maruti Zen is a small and comparatively light vehicle. The ditch is five feet from the road. This patch of land in between is muddy because of yesterday's rain. If the Maruti had for some reason skidded and gone into the ditch, there would have been lots of marks on the muddy ground. Secondly with the force with which it landed, the front portion of the car would have been completely smashed. ."

"Fantastic." Jacob smiled and lit a cigarette." Go ahead."

Chellappa smiled happily. "In that case Sir, the driver in the car would have been a pulpy mess."

Jacob chuckled.

The phone rang. Jacob picked up. Then he gestured to Chellappa. Chellappa noted down the phone number of the caller who had informed about the accident. It was from a cell phone.

"May I know whose cell it is? Oh! It is registered in the name of Rashmi enterprises. Thank you."

Jacob put down the phone. There were no skid marks on the muddy ground between the road and the ditch. Chellappa was right. There was a possibility that the car had been pushed into the ditch to make it look like an accident.

                                      ****************************

At 8.00 AM both went to the hospital where the body was kept. As they entered the corridor, Jacob spotted a woman and a young girl sitting outside a particular room.

"The guy's relatives," Jacob whispered to Chellappa who nodded in return.

Jacob entered the room and identified himself. Chellappa stood outside near the women. Without looking at them straight, Chellappa observed the two. The older woman was dressed soberly and was holding the corner of the sari to hide her mouth. She was sobbing softly. The girl was a very pretty looking teenager and bore a striking resemblance to the dead man. She was weeping with her face against the shoulder of the woman. They were obviously mother and daughter. The daughter was dressed in off white jeans and red T shirt. Then Chellappa spotted a man at the corner of the corridor. He was a dark medium built young man of around twenty five. He was dressed in white pant and white trousers. On seeing Chellappa the man made a move towards him. When he approached nearer, the man saluted Chellappa.

"Who are you?"

"Driver Sir!"

The two women looked at them.

"What is your name?"

"Muthu Sir"

"You brought them here?" Chellappa pointed at the women.

"Yes Sir."

Jacob peeped out and gestured. Chellappa went in. The body had been kept in an ante room inside. The Doctor was standing by its side.

"He died because of a blow from a blunt object to his chest." The doctor said. A couple of ribs are broken, and the death was due to sudden and severe asphyxiation leading to cardiac arrest. "

"Could it be because the car hit the ground with such sudden force and his chest hit the steering wheel?" Jacob asked.

"Could be, I am not sure. But I was told that the accident was reported in the early hours today."

"That is right. At 4.40 AM."

"The man died at least three hours before that."

Both Jacob and Chellappa kept a poker face. "Sure?"

"Absolutely"                                           

                                      **********************

The family had been informed about the tragedy by the inspector who had accompanied the body to the hospital. His name was Gopinath and he came to Jacob with a puzzled look on his face.

"Sir, I want to tell you something."

Jacob nodded.

"Sir when the doctors checked the belongings of this man, there was a purse containing several credit cards and One thousand two hundred rupees in cash. There was also a small leather pouch with his visiting cards, a small packet containing some gem stones, a big perfumed hand kerchief, and a Parker pen."

"So?"

"But Sir there was no cell phone."

Jacob and Chellappa exchanged glances.

"It Could be in the car." Chellappa said.

"No Sir! I checked. The policemen who were there confirmed that neither the cell phone nor the car keys were found. Both are missing."

"Thanks   Gopinath! Your information is really vital." Jacob said politely.

                                      ************************

The name of the deceased man was Radhey Shyam. He was a very successful businessman and investor mainly dealing in fancy items, artificial jewelry and precious stones. He was the senior partner of a firm called Rashmi Enterprises. He lived in a sprawling bungalow in the northern part of the city called Anna Nagar, with his wife Sarita and daughter Rashmi, on whose name the firm was formed.

Radhey Shyam was on business trips almost twenty days a month. He used to travel by car, whenever his work took him to some place near the city. He drove himself and seldom used a driver except when he had to be dropped at the airport, bus stop, or railway station. Muthu was specifically recruited to drive either Sarita or Rashmi. The family owned a fleet of cars of various makes and Radhey Shyam drove all of them. The Maruthi Zen was taken by him that fateful evening because first the tank was full and secondly, he had to make a short and fast trip.

Radhey shyam, as Jacob would learn later, never ever discussed his business or his movements with any one including his own wife and daughter. This was the first load of information that Jacob collected by evening of the day when the body was found.

                                      ****************************  

Radhey Shyam had fantastic contacts with the local politicians and big wigs. Jacob informed his immediate superior ACP Dhananjayan about the incident. He also told him what he suspected and that he would be interested in investigating the case. Mr Dhananjayan knew Jacob well.

"Playing the super sleuth as usual" He quipped.

"Yes Sir." Jacob said.

"Okay! Go ahead! "

"Thank you Sir!"

"You need someone to assist you?"

"Sir, I have Inspector Chellappa who was the first person on the site."

"Good! As the deceased belongs to Anna Nagar it comes under the jurisdiction of that circle too. I shall inform them to extend you all possible help."

"Thank you very much Sir."

Jacob saluted and left. Within half an hour he got the call from the Anna Nagar in charge. Jacob gave him some instructions

"Please post as many persons as possible both men and women in civil dress near the bungalow. They should blend with the crowd, and if necessary, pose as mourners. I shall be there too."

"Okay!”

                                      ***************************  

Jacob had learnt that Radhey Shyam was a big man. But how big, he came to know only when he reached the bungalow. He and Chellappa had gone there dressed in white shirt and light colored pants. Jacob had wanted to pose as a press reporter but Chellappa's build and tough guy appearance gave him second thoughts. Chellappa looked more like a local don than a press photographer. There was a huge crowd out side the house. A long queue waited outside the bungalow to pay the last respects to the departed soul. Radheshyam’s body was kept in the hall.

A small group of children led by an elderly man came near the gate. The watch man saw them and asked the people to make way for them. The group went inside. In a moment there was a wailing sound from the hall. This intrigued Jacob and he looked at Chellappa.

"Wonder who these kids are." Chellappa mused aloud. Some people turned back to look at him.

"They are from the ashram." One man said.

"Aiyya was a great man. He ran the orphanage." Another man ventured.

Chellappa nodded.

Jacob moved away from and Chellappa stood behind the last man in the queue. From his vantage point, Jacob studied the crowd. What he saw intrigued him.

                                      *******************************

Radhey Shaym was a north Indian. But the crowd of mourners consisted mostly of south Indians. At first thought, it did not look any thing special. There are cases where a person has more friends outside his family or community than within. But as it was a crime case Jacob filed away this observation at the back of his mind. 

Chellappa's turn came too. Using a large kerchief to pretend that he was mopping his perspiring face, Chellappa entered the room. The body, draped in a white cloth, was lying in state in a glass coffin in the center of the hall. People were going near the coffin, paying their respects, placing flowers or wreaths, and going out of the hall through a side door. Some were weeping softly and some touched the coffin, as a mark of respect for the departed soul. The woman and the girl he had seen in the morning were sitting on the other side near the head of the coffin. Every one was saluting them while going out. Some women even touched the girl and the woman to console them.

Chellappa paid his respects and moved away fast.

***********************                                            

There was a huge crowd in the funeral procession. Jacob would learn later that several shops and establishments in the area remained closed as a mark of respect for the departed soul. Local politicians placed huge wreaths on the body and local news papers published full length features complete with photographs about the great man. It also formed part of the TV news that day.

It was reported that RadheyShayam belonged to a business family in north, and had come to Chennai twenty years back. He had fallen in love with the city and its people and had decided to make it his home. His wife Sarita and daughter Rashmi were wonderful people. Radhey Shayam had taken pains to learn the language here and people loved to hear his accented Tamil. His daughter Rashmi was born and brought up in Chennai and spoke the language fluently. She was studying in a local college and had a lot of friends. Sarita, it was reported was a highly religious lady and loved to go to temples, make donations and give alms.

At 6.30 PM RadheyShayam's mortal remains were consigned to the flames amidst wails and slogans.

Next day Jacob sat on his desk with a heap of previous day’s news papers. Due to his exposure and his wide experience, Jacob could not only speak, but also read and write Hindi. As he went through the reports, he smiled inwardly at his own apt observation. The Tamil newspapers had the Radheyshyam item in the front pages, under bold head lines. The articles were emotionally charged and short of terming the dead man some sort of a demigod, they had praised him and his family sky high.

'His sudden demise is a great loss to the city and many poor people who had benefited from his generosity and large heartedness would feel orphaned.' The reporter had declared. There were photographs of the great man, and opinions from local leaders.

Even the Tamil news channels did not stay behind in reporting the matter in, as colorful a way as possible.

On the contrary, the same news made it only to the third page of the Hindi newspapers and that too as a small item on one corner. The reporter had been matter of fact, and had added a subtle hint that Mr Radhey Shyam found more comfort in the company of local bigwigs, than in interacting with people of his own community.        

As per Jacob’s request, the suspicion that it was a murder case was not leaked to the press. The police maintained that it was an accident.

                                      ******************************

 Chellappa had reported that, where as some girls including   Rashmi were weeping copiously, Sarita just sat there with a blank expression on her face.

 'Probably numb with shock.' Chellappa opined.

He had also observed that a young man who looked like a north Indian, and a young girl probably in her early twenties, were near the mother and daughter and that they seemed to be quite close to the family.

The finger print and other experts went through the car with a fine toothed comb. Every inch was examined and finger prints dusted. The dash board had the usual car papers and a copy of Radhey Shyam’s   license. Almost all finger prints matched with that of Radhey Shyam and his driver.

                                      *************************

The doctor had said that the victim had died at least three hours before the accident was reported. That meant that Radheyshyam died at around 1.30 AM the previous night. Going by what the driver Muthu said, Radheyshyam had gone to Mahabalipuram. So the possibility was that the death occurred there.

And the person who had reported the accident, who ever he was, had driven the car with the body in it, to the place where he had dumped it. Jacob began thinking in that angle. It was a rainy night. There would not have been much traffic during that period, except the occasional trucks and buses. A Maruthi Zen would have been a rare vehicle at that hour in that route. Jacob contacted the check post.

From them, Jacob learnt that the Zen had passed through the check post and the driver had opened the window and paid the toll tax. There was nothing unusual about it and Jacob was slightly disappointed when he learnt that cars frequently passed through that route at that hour, carrying tourists, or party goers. Jacob met the staff which was on duty that fateful night, and requested them to give him any tip regarding the car and the occupants, that would help Jacob. Then he returned to the city.

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 The offices of Rashmi enterprises were situated in a commercial complex    a kilometer from Radheyshyam’s house. The company owned the complete first floor. The name of the young man, who Chellappa had seen that day in Radheyshyam’s house, was Mayank Kumar. He was the manager of the company, and the young girl who had accompanied him, was Ragini, Radheyshyam’s secretary cum receptionist.

Jacob called Mayank the next day and told him that he was needed at the police station to sign papers for the release of the Maruti Zen. Mayank was in his late twenties, thin, attractive and well dressed. The man was polite and decent. Jacob took him to the garage where the car was kept. As it was in the name of the company, Mayank signed some papers as authorized signatory. The car was junk any way. Later Jacob took him back to his cabin.

“Mr. Mayank, how long have you been in this company?”

“I joined three years back Sir.”

“What is the main line of business for your company?”

“We deal in artificial jewellery, gems and precious stones.”

“Mr.Mayank please tell me something about your employer, late

Mr Radheyshyam.”

“I met him in Bangalore, where I had gone to put a stall in an exhibition. Mr Radheyshyam had visited my stall and examined the wares. I am a good salesman. Mr . Radheyshyam saw me talk to the customers and then on the day the exhibition concluded, he came to me. He told me that he was on the look out for someone who could manage his business in Chennai, as he was on tour most of the time. The offer he made was indeed lucrative, a handsome salary, free accommodation, and a percentage in the profits. I accepted the offer and joined the company. ”

“Mr. Radheyshyam was on tour for at least two weeks in a month. Even when he was in the city he seldom came to the office. We usually talked on the phone. He was doing a lot of charity and he would either be meeting some political bigwig or making the rounds of orphanages, or schools or hospitals that he ran or donated to.”

“Quite a high profile man” Jacob mused aloud.

“Sir ” Mayank smiled feebly “ On the contrary, he was a man who shunned the lime light.”

“Oh!  Really”

“Yes Sir. Mr Radheyshyam was a very humble person. He would send his wife and his daughter to cultural functions but would seldom attend them himself. He was so handsome and well groomed, but he always tried to hug the background.”

Jacob nodded slowly. “Tell me Mr. Mayank where did Mr. Radheyshyam go on his frequent business trips?”

“All the states in south, sometimes to Mumbai or   Kolkata”

“How is the business?”

“It is running very well Sir! We get good orders from big parties. And because Mr. Radheyshyam spent a lot of it on charity, it is growing at a steady pace thanks to the best wishes of people.”

“Hm! Mr. Mayank you are from North?”

“Yes Sir! I am from Kota, Rajasthan.” 

“and Mr. Radheyshyam?”

“ he is from Gwalior Sir.”

“Madhya Pradesh?” Jacob asked.

“Yes Sir.”

“Thanks  Mr. Mayank for your co- operation.” Jacob shook his hand. “Can I disturb you in case I need your help?”

“Certainly Sir” Mayank said.

                                      ************************

As soon as Mayank left, Jacob sent a copy of Radheyshyam’s finger prints to the main police station at Gwalior, with a request to check it with their records and see whether they matched with any one. Then he busied himself with his routine work. The reply from Gwalior came after twelve hours. Though Jacob suspected it, the report made him wince and smile at the same time. 

The Gwalior police informed that the set of prints matched with that of a notorious gangster called Omi Chikna who was killed in a gangland hit twenty years ago.

‘Thank god for small mercies’ Jacob thought. ‘Chellappa deserved a pat on the back. This was indeed a complex case.’

                                                ***************

 Kailashnath belonged to a small village near Jabalpur. One of a brood of five children of a farm laborer, he had gone through all the deprivations, and frustrations that a poor rustic child experiences in the villages of India.  He dropped out of school at the age of twelve and came to the town looking for a job. After a short struggle, he landed one, as a helper in a grocery shop. Compared, to the endless hungry days and nights that were his lot in the village, this opening seemed like a paradise to him.  Kailashnath worked hard and within a few years became a favorite of the owner Radheyshyam. When he was twenty, Kailashnath got married to a girl from his own village. Her name was Bhagwanthi.

Kailashnath’s luck picked up after the wedding. Radheyshyam got him a cycle cart. Kailashnath would load fruits and vegetables from his village every morning, and bring it to the city where Radheyshyam would purchase it from him and sell it in the retail market. Kailashnath would in turn, load his cart with grocery items and ride back to his village, and to the nearby villages and sell them at a good price. A few years after this routine grind, Kailashnath was earning a respectable income from this business.

By prudently investing his earnings, Kailashnath grew richer and richer and within a span of twenty years, he was  the owner of half a dozen cycle carts, one shop in the village, and one in the town, and a couple of acres of land where he grew the vegetables and fruits that he sold in the town. He gave jobs to his family members, relatives and several young men in the village as cart drivers, farm laborers and shop salesmen. Kailashnath also built a spacious independent house in the village, for his residence.   

                                      ********************************

But In spite of their improved financial status, Kailashnath and Bhagwanthi were deprived of the joys of parenthood. This hurt the wife more than the husband. She was the one to bear the brunt of snide remarks from relatives and neighbors. Bhagwanthi would weep and complain, and Kailashnath would try to calm her down, but the fact remained that Kailashnath was not able to father a child who would enjoy the fruits of his labor.       

When Kailashnath was forty years old, Radheyshyam died. Kailashnath was distraught.  Radheyshyam was a father figure for him and Kailsahnath could not imagine life without his nice and kind old employer. For weeks Kailashnath wandered about the village like a mad man.

And then it happened. Bhagwanthi conceived and gave birth to an exceptionally beautiful male child. Believing, that his mentor had incarnated as his son, Kailashnath christened the child as Radheyshyam.

How ever due to respect and reverence for his ex- employer, Kailashnath gave the child another name – Omkarnath.

“How can I, call my son by the name of the person, who is god to me? “ Kailashnath reasoned.

With the arrival of his son, Kailashnath got even more prosperous. He purchased a small delivery van, and converted it into a shop on wheels.  This van used to tour the villages and towns and sell all house hold items. It turned out to be a fantastic idea, and within years, Kailashnath had a couple of more such delivery vans.  

                                                **********************

As his father enjoyed a Godfather like status, Omkar grew up being pampered and spoilt silly by his doting mother, and the villagers. Omkar had every thing going in his favor. Light skinned, with wavy long hair, an oval face, big languorous eyes and regular pleasing features, He was the most beautiful child in the locality. Besides that he was a precocious kid of above average intelligence.

When he reached the age of four, Damayanthi got him admitted to a near by school. Even here Omkar was the star attraction. He had an amazing focus towards what ever he did, and he was among the best students in the class. He studied well, had his share of sports activities, and was a favorite with the boys, not because of his talent in sports, but because he was very generous with his toys which he gladly lent to the other not so fortunate kids. The children vied with each other to be close to him.

As he grew up, Omkar realized that he had the inborn qualities of leadership. He was intelligent, tactful, and had the magnetism to attract the other boys. Business acumen came naturally to him. Above all, he had a special fondness for jewelry, and items which looked shiny and beautiful.

At the age of twelve, with the considerable pocket money that he received from his mother, he started a small money lending business in the school. First he indulged the kids with sweetmeats and savories that were sold outside the school compound, and then when the children got used to it he started doling out small sums to them to buy their favorite eatables. The loan was interest free, and the kids were enamored by Omkar’s generosity.

                                      **************************

Once he realized that the guys were in the bag, Omkar began extracting his pound of flesh. He made the kids run errands for him while he sat in one corner and regulated the activities. Kids were ready to do his bidding and Omkar made the best of it. After they were totally under his spell, Omkar made his first move towards his game plan.

He carefully selected four boys who were more daring than the others, and told them to raid the fancy stores, in the large market a couple of kilometers from their village. On weekends the boys would go there on the pretext of seeing the wares or buying them and then pick some of the items and vanish. Omkar would receive them from the guys and pay them in cash at a price fixed by Omkar. Every one was happy. Omkar had his collection of fake jewelry and the boys had their money. The kids worked with such professional meticulousness that, by the time, their parents and the public realized what they were up to, the boys were already in their mid teens.

One evening, as usual, when the boys were on the job in a store, a salesman spotted them and tipped off the owner. Caution signs and messages were exchanged, and when the four boys tried to check out of the store, with their pockets bulging, they were nabbed. There was a big hue and cry and the public joined the staff of the shop to administer a sound thrashing to the four guys. They were taken to the police station and grilled. But by prior agreement, the kids did not divulge Omkar’s name.

                                      *****************************

Though the boys saved him from the law, Omkar could not escape Kailsahnath’s suspicious glare. Being doting parents, Kailashnath and Bhagwanthi, had looked on helplessly as their only child was going wayward. They loved him too much, and this prevented them from chastising him. They tried to caution him indirectly, but the boy did not bother to listen. His greed for glamour, and quick money was too much to be controlled. Kailashnath knew that, given the chance, Omkar would not hesitate to sell the same fancy items at a far higher price, as genuine jewelry.

The four boys were let out a fortnight later. Omkar discreetly avoided them They had been branded as thieves in the village, and so any one who had an interaction with them, was looked at with suspicion. Omkar limited himself to his studies and helped his father in the business during spare time.

Years of hard work, and Omkar’s capers began taking their toll on Kalashnath. One evening he complained of a severe headache. He was in his shop at Jabalpur. The staff took him to the doctor who examined him, gave him some medicines, and advised complete rest. Kailashnath, came home, took the medicines, had his supper and went to bed, never to wake up again.

Omkar was Twenty One.

*************

Now Jacob had something to chew on. So, Radheyshyam was a shady character. That explained why he shunned the company of north Indians. He feared that some day some one may recognize him. He was safe in a city which was totally new to him and where the people would neither know nor care to know about his past. Mayank had told him that Radhey Shyam usually toured only the four southern states.

It was now quite evident that this was a murder case and that the killer or killers had planned every move perfectly. They had to be extremely clever to have successfully trapped a criminal like Radhey Shyam. Everything pointed towards a revenge killing probably in retaliation to some double cross.

The three root causes for any animosity are land, money and women. In this case Jacob chose the second one to begin his investigation. Radhey Shyam had been a gangster and so it could be the more likely cause for his death. Some of the answers lay in Mahabalipuram.

Jacob went about his work in the old fashioned plodding manner. He took one of the news papers into confidence and got several copies of Radhey Shyam’s mug shot that they had published with his obituary. He then distributed it among the police men and asked them to scour through every hotel, motel and eating place in Mahabalipuram to find out if any one recognized the face.                                  

Then he shifted his gaze towards something nearer home. Years of working as an investigator had taught Jacob to take up more than one lead to solve any complicated problem. The Gwalior police had informed that Omi Chikna ie Radhey Shyam had died twenty years ago. Radhey Shyam’s daughter was eighteen. That could mean that his marriage to Sarita was around twenty years old. There were two possibilities. Either, Sarita did not know any thing about Radhey Shyam’s past or she was a co- conspirator in her late husband’s activities. The two had staged the killing of the gangster Omi Chikna, and eloped with the loot. Jacob chose to believe the other story. More so because of the way she reacted at the wake. She seemed more stoic than shocked.

                                      ***************************

Four days after the police began the rounds at Mahabalipuram, Jacob got a call from one of the constables that they had a lead. Jacob rushed to the spot. It was a motel situated in the outskirts of Mahabalipuram, on the way to Pondicherry. The manager of the motel, a young man called Balaji had recognized the face.

Balaji told Jacob that the man in the picture had come to the hotel to meet a man who was staying in room number 108. Balaji showed the register in which the names and addresses of the boarders were registered. Though Jacob was positive that the entry was totally fake nevertheless he jotted it own.

Lalit Kumar, 43/49, Bara Mohalla, Near Government Hospital, Itarsi, M.P.

And then Jacob saw the date and stiffened. It was the day before Jacob found Radhey Shyam’s body in the ditch. This man, who called himself Lalit Kumar, had checked in at ten in the morning.

“What time did this man come here?” Jacob asked pointing at Radhey Shyam’s Photograph.

“Evening Sir, around 7PM” Balaji replied.

“And when did he go back?”

“around half an hour later Sir. Both went together in this man’s car.”

“Can you describe this Lalit Kumar?”

“Yes Sir! He was a north Indian. Medium height, medium build, fair skinned, neatly dressed, around forty years of age.”

“Anything else you can tell about him?”

“Yes Sir. This was the first time he came to our motel. I mean he is not a regular guest. He returned alone and checked out the same day at 10 PM”

“Anything else”

Balaji thought for a moment. Then he called Babu the waiter. Babu was a veteran of around fifty years of age who looked like he had been waiting on people for donkey’s years. He was a small man with a ‘Fed up to the neck’ look.

“Babu” Balaji said “Inspector Sir would like to talk to you.” Then he turned towards Jacob. “Sir he is our senior most waiter. He attended to Room No 108.”

What the bored looking Babu said made more sense than the dope from Balaji. Babu said that Lalit Kumar was talking continuously on his cell phone. Over the years Babu had picked up a smattering of various languages including hindi, and from Lalit’s monologue, he could make out that  he was waiting to hand over some important parcel to the person on the other side. He also said that the parcel would arrive in the evening.

“Could you hear the voice from the other end?” Jacob asked.

“I could not hear what our man was saying but just once when I was a few paces from the guest, I heard the voice. It was very gruff and virile, more like a growl. Our man was very respectful towards the one on the other side of the line.”

Jacob nodded thoughtfully. He knew that parcel meant “RadheyShyam” And that this man who called himself Lalit Kumar was instrumental in handing him over to the “Growl” who could be the killer.

                                                *********************

The whole village turned up for the funeral. Kailashnath had been a benefactor and Philanthropist and every one missed him. Omkar took charge of his father’s business, and developed it. He was an astute business man and he knew how to make money. Slowly, he began diversifying into his favorite line- fancy goods. He sold the delivery vans, the shop in the village, the land that Kailashnath used for growing fruits and vegetables, and shifted to Jabalpur with his mother Bhagwanthi. The village house was also sold to a wealthy business man. With the proceeds of the sale, Omkar purchased a big flat in Jabalpur.

He then converted the Jabalpur shop into a showroom. After managing it for six months, Omkar put a man in charge of the shop and began touring nearby by towns for business.

No one could have imagined that Omkar was using this business as a front for his main profession as a receiver of stolen goods. So devilishly intelligent was he that even at such a young age, he had already made contacts with professional robbers, and burglars and was purchasing stolen jewelry from them and selling them off at lucrative prices, after reshaping them to change their identity. Not only that, he was also the brain behind several such burglaries. Due to his extraordinary IQ, the gangsters came to him to plan the robberies, which they would then execute verbatim.

When Omkar was twenty four, Bhagwanthi who had been mourning the loss of her husband, fell ill and became bed ridden. Omkar employed a female nurse to serve his mother. He was genuinely fond of her and wanted to show that he cared. But all the treatment, medicines and diet were of no avail. Bhagwanthi’s health continued to fail and one month after she took to the bed, Bhagwanthi passed away.

With both his parents gone, Omkar was free to do what he wanted. He sold the shop and the flat in Jabalpur and relocated to Gwalior for good.

                                      ********************

Jacob called Chellappa and gave him the necessary instructions. Then he called Mayank to his office.

“Do you know some one called Lalit Kumar?” Jacob came straight to the point.

“Yes. He contacted us a month ago. He is a gem dealer from Mumbai.”

“Gem dealer?”

“Yes Sir? He said that he had received an order for export of gems and as he was not so big in the line he wanted to get into a joint venture with us.”

“Have you seen him?”

“He never came to the office. I have talked to him on phone. Mr Radhey Shyam met him a couple of times in Mumbai.”

“As you have talked to him on phone, can you tell me something about his voice or something that you could judge about the man?”

“He is very polite and soft spoken. But he is also very businesslike and in spite of several conversations that I have had with him, he has never gone beyond the formal greetings.”

Jacob smiled slightly.

“Mr. Mayank! You are an intelligent young man. Now listen carefully. I doubt that Mr. Lalit Kumar would ever call you again. But you never know. In case he does, can you record the conversation?”

“Sure Sir.”

“Thanks. And keep this absolutely confidential.”

“Certainly Sir! ” Mayank said and left.

****************************

Kairy, Bankey, Gopa, and Kanju were professional burglars. They were based in various locations in and around Gwalior, and had been Omkar’s regular associates and clients. Omkar had planned a couple of very successful heists for them and had disposed off the stolen property too. Every one had prospered and the foursome looked up to Omkar for guidance. When they came to know that he had settled down in Gwalior, they were delighted.                   

Omkar had grown up into an exceptionally handsome man. He always kept himself well groomed. The foursome learnt dress sense from him and that helped them maintain a respectable façade in the society. Without making things explicit, Omkar took over the leadership of the gang. Being the most intelligent and educated in the gang, his word soon became law. It was his suggestion that they should all lead separate lives and should not recognize each other in public. None should interfere in the privacy of the other. They had to meet only when they had a job to execute. And Omkar was the one to choose the meeting place. There, they would plan the heist, over drinks and dinner and then the four carry out the plan while Omkar arranged for disposing off the loot. They all lived in different localities and that helped in implementing this code of conduct.

Omkar was already a wealthy guy when he landed in Gwalior. He had his own business card printed, and he introduced himself as a dealer in fancy goods and artificial jewelry. Within the gang he was “Omi Chikna” ie “Omi the looker”. To the society he was Omkar Kailashnath. It wasn’t difficult for him to rent an apartment in the heart of the city. He employed a fulltime maid who did the cooking, washing and cleaning. In spite of his beauty, Omkar was sober, businesslike and shunned female company. This image was carefully cultivated by him to keep away from inquisitive and indiscreet neighbors. None had any inkling of the other side of the young man who was so good looking and polite.

                                      **************************

Meanwhile, Chellappa accosted Muthu, the driver in Radhey Shyam’s house hold. Thoughtfully Chellappa had called the guy to the service center where Muthu used to get his cars repaired. Chellappa was in civil dress, but because of his build and his demeanor any one could have known that he was a cop. So Chellappa brought his own car there on the pretext of getting it serviced. As the mechanics took charge of his car, he took Muthu to a side.

“How are things?” Chellappa began the conversation.

“Fine Sir, my work has increased now.” Muthu said politely.

“Is it?”

“Yes Sir. Previously I was just a driver, but now I have to do other errands too.”

“What sort of errands?”

“Ayya’s tenth day and thirteenth day ceremonies are approaching. So I have to do all the running around to make arrangements, purchase groceries and the like.”  

“Tell me Muthu how long have you been with them?”

“I have been with them from my childhood Sir. I am an orphan. I was brought up in the orphanage that Ayya runs. My father died when I was ten years old, and my mother married another man. That man had me admitted in the Orphanage. Later when I grew up, Ayya brought me to his house, and I became their domestic servant. He had me educated and then sent me to a driving school. Thus I became a driver in the household.”

“So you are like a member of the family.”

“Yes Sir.”

Chellappa nodded thoughtfully.

“Tell me about every one in the family Muthu.”

“Sir, every one in the family is very good to me. Ayya was always busy and went on tour often. Amma is a very religious person and she mostly goes to temples, and does a lot of charity. When ever Amma or Rashmi papa goes some where, I drive the car.”

“Now think carefully and answer my question Muthu.” Chellappa said. “In the past few months, did any thing happen in the house hold or around you that was different from what you had been experiencing all these years?”

*************************

Muthu stood staring at the ground for a few moments. When he looked up, Chellappa frowned. Muthu’s eyes were moist.

“Yes Sir!” He said in a choked voice. “Amma suddenly changed after meeting that man in the temple.”

Chellappa stiffened slightly “Which man?”

 “A few months ago, I don’t remember the date, I and Amma went to the big Shiva temple in Thiruvottrivoor. Amma used to go there at least once a month. That day too as usual we had gone to do charity. I parked the car and Amma stepped out. She began walking towards the temple. Mean while I was opening the boot to take out the bundles of clothes that were to be distributed to the beggars there. Suddenly one man came and called Amma by her first name. She stopped, looked at the man, ejaculated and then said

“Bhaiyya!” Then she went and touched his feet.

“Wait!”  Chellappa said “Tell me what he looked like”

“Sir he was a very tall and well built man. Just like you Sir. And he looked like a north Indian.”

“How old was he?”

“He must be around fifty or fifty five. He looked like a retired Police officer.”

“What?” Chellappa smiled.

“Yes Sir. He looked like a cop. He had that type of short hair, a clipped moustache and a very deep and gravelly voice.”

Chellappa hid his excitement. Jacob had mentioned about the “growl”.

“Hm then?”

“Then the two looked at each other. And the man said something to her and pointed at a direction. Probably he said that he was staying there. Then Amma asked him to wait, called me and we two went to the temple. The man kept standing there. Usually Amma used to stay a long time in the temple and supervise the distribution of the clothes and eatables. But on that day she went straight to the office, asked me to place the clothes there, gave a bundle of notes to the office manager, requested him to distribute the things and came out with me. Then she went to the man and they both sat in the car. Amma asked me to drive to a park that is near the temple. It has a lot of trees with benches under them. Amma asked me to wait in the car and the two went inside the park and sat in a corner. After a few moments the conversation became more and more animated. I could not hear any thing but I saw that Amma had suddenly taken the corner of her Sari and placed it on her mouth. The man was evidently excited and angry and I was very scared for Amma. I looked around for help but it was dusk and there weren’t many people around. The man’s voice was getting louder and thicker but yet as he was talking very fast in Hindi, I could not understand any thing. Suddenly Amma got up, hugged the man who was still sitting and then came running towards the car. She was very upset and when she came near me I saw that her face was as red as a tomato. She simply got into the car, and asked me to take her home. As I went towards the car I saw that the man was sitting on the bench and sobbing uncontrollably.”

                                      **************************

Muthu stopped for a moment. Chellappa waited patiently.

“When we reached home, Amma ran into the pooja room and shut the door. When she came out an hour later, her face was swollen, and she looked totally spent and distressed. It looked like she had been weeping bitterly.”

“Where was Ayya?”

“He was on tour.”      

“Then what happened?”

“From then on Amma changed completely. She became a Zombie.”

“Did the man meet her again?”

“Amma stopped going out. She began spending more and more time in the pooja room. For the past few months, I have been taking the clothes, money and things like that to the temples. A couple of times Rashmi Papa also came with me.”

“How was Amma’s relationship with Ayya?”

“Amma and Ayya are both taciturn by nature. But I could make out that after the incident the relation ship had cooled down even further.”

“Hm! Muthu you have been quite helpful. Don’t let any one know that we met.”

  “Yes Sir.”

Chellappa waited till Muthu went away and then he called Jacob

“I have a ton of information for you.” He said. “I want to meet you immediately.”

                                      ************************

Jacob sat poker faced. Chellappa had just briefed him about whatever Muthu told him.

“So, my intuition was correct.” He said at last. “This guy had made enemies in two different fields.”

“Now that we know that the killer is somehow connected with the family, shall we---“

“Question the lady?”

“Yes!”

Jacob shook his head in negative. “No Chellappa. It would be very unwise and foolhardy. From what Muthu has told you, it looks that the man who we suspect as the killer, was not a bad guy. Further he should have been quite close to the woman, for her to address him as her elder brother. And lastly, for all you know, the woman is either accepting our version that Radhey Shyam indeed died in an accident, or she may even suspect that it was a very well planned execution, and we are not aware of it. In both cases, if we go and question her, it may make her shrink further into a shell, and she may even tip off the killer. That would make things more difficult for us. We have to move in very carefully.”

“You mean through the Lalit Kumar angle?”

“That line is dead. Lalit Kumar would have vanished in thin air. His job is over and he will never ever contact Mayank. I told you, these guys must have carried out the job with extraordinary precision and tact.”

The two sat quietly for some time. Jacob was thinking hard. After fifteen minutes, Jacob put a call to the Gwalior police station.

“Hello! Good evening, I am Jacob, from the Chennai Pallavakkam police station. It was I who asked you about the finger print. Can I talk to the in charge of the police station where this Omi Chikna’s case was registered? Yes Just a minute—”

Jacob Gestured to Chellappa to take a paper and pencil.

 “Yes please.”

 Jacob spelt the phone number aloud and Chellappa jotted it down.

 “Thank you Sir.” Jacob ended the call and then called on the number that Chellappa had jotted down.

“Hello, Inspector Puran Singh?”

Jacob talked to the man for a couple of moments about the Omi Chikna case. Then he casually asked him whether he knew some one answering the description of the growl. What he heard made Jacob sit up bolt upright. Chellappa frowned.

“Mr. Puran Singh, just don’t do any thing. I would like to meet the man personally. I shall come over there. Thanks. Bye.” Jacob put the receiver down.

                                      ************************

Jacob and Chellappa were on the train to Gwalior that evening. In the meant time, Jacob had given the necessary instructions to Inspector Puran Singh. 

It was around 4 PM, when the jeep, entered the Gwalior police station. Jacob and Chellappa got down and walked through the main door, acknowledging the salutes of the constables. Inspector Puran Singh received them in his cabin. After the pleasantries were over, Puran Singh ordered tea and snacks.

“Our guy will be here any moment. ” Puran Singh said.

“Thanks inspector.” Jacob said.

“I am sorry I could not still make out, what exactly is the matter.” Puran Singh said. He was genuinely puzzled.

 “Inspector it all depends on what our friend has to say now. Till then I shall reserve my opinion. But I can assure you that if my judgment is right, this could be one of the most interesting and complicated cases you would have ever come across.”

“Oh Really!”

 “I hope so.”

There was a murmur outside the cabin and after a moment, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in” Puran Singh said.

  The door opened and a man came in smiling. He looked at Puran Singh and then at Jacob and Chellappa. Instinctively he stiffened and stood rooted to the ground. His face tightened and his eyes dilated. Jacob and Chellappa looked at him.

He was around five foot ten inches tall, approximately fifty years of age and built like an aging commando. He had a long, extremely virile face and a clipped moustache. His was wheatish in complexion and had a dignified and respectable air about him. The man was dressed in a white shirt and dark pants.

‘Every inch a soldier’ Jacob thought.

                                      ************************

“Hello Mr. Dinesh. Please sit down.” Puran Singh said softly.

The man, who Puran Singh addressed as Dinesh, walked stiffly and sat down on a chair facing the three Police Officers. Puran Singh pushed a glass of water towards him. The man grabbed the glass, and drained it to the last drop. Puran Singh then introduced him to Jacob and Chellappa as police officers from Chennai. Dinesh nodded at the two and then shook hands.

Jacob found his grip quite manly. He marveled at the man’s self control. It was evident that Dinesh knew the purpose of their visit. Yet he did not drop his guard a bit. The silence in the room for the next few moments was deafening. Jacob broke it.

“Mr Dinesh we came here in connection with a murder case.”

“Culpable homicide” Dinesh corrected him.

Chellappa winced. The voice as Muthu had mentioned was, deep and gravelly.

Jacob smiled broadly. “Oh! Yes! I am sorry.”

“You came to arrest me?” Dinesh was disarmingly matter of fact.

“Depends, on what you have to say.” Jacob replied politely.

Dinesh looked at the floor for a couple of moments.

“I am not sorry that Radhey Shyam died.” He said in a low voice which sounded like a growl. “On the contrary I am glad that I was his nemesis. Yet whether you believe it or not, I never intended to kill him. I can prove it. If I had thought of doing so, I would have first smashed his cruel and handsome face.” Dinesh paused.

 Jacob and Puran singh looked at each other. Chellappa stared at the ground.

“You have been so kind to me. Inspector Saab—“ Dinesh looked at Puran Singh “ You could have simply dragged me down to the station with handcuffs on. If you permit me I shall give you the complete story. It may look like a tall tale spun out by me, hence I swear on my family, my wife and my children that what I am going to tell you now is the truth, the absolute truth and nothing but the truth.”

Puran Singh looked at Jacob. Jacob nodded.

                                                *********************

“My name is Dinesh Kumar. I am  an ex army man. I retired from the Border Security Force, and now a days I work as a driver in a transport company. I drive my own truck which I purchased from the Army quota. I am saying this just to give a back ground about me.”  

(Dinesh had a younger brother. His name was Naresh Kumar. Naresh too wanted to join the forces, but he was too soft and mild for the job. Yet Dinesh never discouraged him because Naresh had the noble intention of serving his mother land. He was a nice hard working young man. Even whIle appearing for the competitive exams, he was working as a salesman in a jewelry shop.

Those days Dinesh was posted on the Rajasthan Border, and was busy trying to prevent the infiltration and smuggling that was rampant in that area. He used to get correspondence from his home only once a week. It was only when something was very urgent, did he receive phone calls.

On day Dinesh got a message on his walkie talkie that he should call his family as soon as possible. The message unnerved him, because he was the eldest son in the family and he feared the worst. It was late evening when he reached the check post and put a call to my family. He heaved a sigh of relief when his father answered the call. Dinesh asked him if every thing was alright. His father soothed his frayed nerves and then said softly that Naresh was not well.

 Dinesh took a deep breath and asked his father to be more clear about the information. By now he could feel butterflies in his stomach. In a sobbing voice his father broke the news that said that Dinesh’s kid brother Naresh was no more.)

                                      *************************

After saying this Dinesh paused. He then wiped his moist eyes. The atmosphere in the room in the police station turned gloomy. Jacob and Chellappa stared at the ground. A moment later Dinesh resumed his monologue.

(At the time of Naresh’s death Dinesh was thirty years old, a commando and unlike his younger brother, a tough no nonsense guy. The news of his brother’s sudden demise stunned him. His father had said that Naresh suddenly passed away after a short illness.

Dinesh could not make it to the funeral as there was a lot of tension in the border and he could not get leave. He shed copious tears in memory of his brother and waited for an opportunity to reach home and console his distraught parents. But by the time he could make it, they had already relocated to their village.

When he came to know about the whole matter, Dinesh was very puzzled and upset. His father said that Naresh had been arrested as a suspect in a robbery at the jewelry shop where he worked, and that the boy died of a brain hemorrhage immediately after. Dinesh could not believe this. He could not imagine that his younger brother could in any way be connected to criminals. His sorrow turned into suspicion which grew into a bitter impotent rage. Impotent because the damage had already been done, and besides he did not have the time or the resources to go to the root of the whole problem. After sulking and cussing for a few days, he finally calmed down and went back to his post. Whenever he got spare time, he pondered over the matter. He decided not to rest till he had solved the mystery surrounding Naresh’s death.)

                                      ************************

(Dinesh retired at the age of forty five. By then his parents were dead and he was a grandfather himself. His only child, a daughter had married an engineer and was settled in Ahmedabad. Dinesh sold away the property that he inherited, and settled down in Gwalior.

He had a reasonable pension, and he also availed the opportunity to purchase an army truck which he attached to a transport company and began driving it himself. His wife divided her time between Gwalior and Ahmedabad. Now it was time for him to start his investigation.

With his army background it was easy for Dinesh to interact with the police department. He contacted the Inspector who was in charge of the police station where the FIR of the burglary was lodged several years back. The name of the inspector was Puran Singh. He listened to Dinesh’s story patiently.

“If some one had blamed me of such a crime, I would have understood.” Dinesh told the officer in a voice choked with emotion. “I am a tough guy and could have loved the action. But my brother------” Dinesh  could not speak further.

Puran Singh handed him a glass of water and ordered tea.

“My brother was the softest person one could come across. Yes, he too wanted to join the forces but that was because he wanted to serve the country. He wanted my parents to be proud of him. And see what happened to him.” Dinesh wiped his eyes.

 Puran Singh called for the case file and studied the FIR and the notes. Then he told Dinesh that the case was solved. He also told Dinesh that one Mr. Naresh had been held for questioning but that the man had died of shock in a clinic within hours of being held. Dinesh told Puran that Naresh was his brother.

 “Three men were arrested but the loot could not be recovered.” Puran Singh told him. “The accused guys claimed that the loot was with a fourth member, who according to police records was already dead. These three got ten years a piece.”

Dinesh made a quick calculation and found that the convicts would have come out of prison by then. He requested Puran to arrange for a meeting with at least one of them. Puran Singh agreed.)

                                                ********************

 (A week later Dinesh got a call from Puran Singh. Dinesh rushed to the police station.

“This is Kairy.” Puran Singh pointed towards a good looking fashionably dressed man around thirty five years of age. “ And Kairy he is Mr. Dinesh, the brother of Naresh.”

The two men shook hands. Dinesh tried not to show his disappointment. He expected to meet a man with craggy features and flat gangster eyes. But this guy could have blended into any decent social gathering. Kairy and Puran exchanged amused glances  at Dinesh’s discomfiture. 

“Please sit down both of you.” Puran Singh said.

Both sat on the long bench in Puran’s cabin.

“I have given him a hint of what you have in mind Mr. Dinesh.” Puran Singh continued “So you can ask him whatever you want.”

“Thank you Sir.”  Dinesh said. Then he turned towards Kairy. “I need your help Mr. Kairy. I have been bearing a very heavy cross on my shoulders for the past several years.” He paused for a moment. “How do you know my brother Naresh? ”

“Mr Dinesh neither I nor my other two colleagues knew him.”

Dinesh sighed. It could have been relief.

“and what about the other two of your associates? Could they have known him?” Dinesh asked.

“One is dead the other has vanished.” Kairy took a deep breath.

“Then can you tell me how my brother got involved in this matter?”

“Mr. Dinesh, the fourth member Kanju, was an old associate. We had done a couple of jobs together. It was he who introduced us to a guy who we knew just as Omi Chikna. Probably his name was Om Prakash, but I am not sure. He was a very handsome man and thus the adage. Omi used to interact more with Kanju than with us three. Only when a job had to be pulled, did we all come together. It wasn’t any different in this case too.”)

                                      *********************

(The snacks and tea that Puran had ordered arrived. Kairy stopped talking. The tea boy served the things and left. Kairy took a sip of the piping hot tea.  

“Omi planned and we four executed. He was also the receiver of stolen property. He knew how to dispose it off.”

“You say that one is dead.” Dinesh said “Who is the guy?”

“Omi.”  Kairy looked at Puran Singh. Dinesh frowned.

“Actually the Police got a tip that one of those who were involved in the robbery, called Omi Chikna was murdered by his own associates. A badly mangled body was recovered.” Puran said.

“We all saw the photograph of the body.” Kairy continued.

“So the other guy is ----“

“Kanju.” Kairy said.

Dinesh turned to Puran Singh “Sir I think that Mr. Kairy has told me all that I wanted to know.”

Kairy looked at Puran Singh and then at Dinesh, and then with a swift nod and hand shake, he left.

“Sir! Please pardon me for bothering you so much.” Dinesh said “If it is okay by you, can I see the file?”)

                                      ***************************

(Puran nodded. Then he took the file from his drawer and gave it to Dinesh who shivered instinctively and closed his eyes. For the next one hour, Dinesh studied the file. He saw the photograph of the corpse carefully and took some mental notes. Then he read about how the police had dusted fingerprints from a remote area a few days before the burglary. It was there that they had got Naresh’s finger prints which matched when they took the prints of all the employees the day after the burglary.     

 Dinesh’s face clouded. This was leading him no where. Kairy was denying knowing Naresh. Then how was it that his innocent brother got stuck in the quagmire?

Dinesh returned the file back to PuranSingh, thanked him for his cooperation and left.)

                                                ******************

 (Unlike Puran Singh or the other cops who investigate a case in a professional manner, Dinesh had a personal interest in this one. So whatever he read or saw he remembered very well and when he reached home, he took a long note book and wrote down everything. Then he began thinking.

The whole problem began with the finger prints. There was a genuine informer. There could also have been more. The first tip that the police received ended with six sets of finger prints landing in the police files. Even if it may be presumed that his brother was somehow involved, then the intention of the informer was to get him arrested. Dinesh could not make out who could have had such an animosity towards his brother. Dinesh closed his eyes and went into a brown study. Suddenly he woke up with a start.

“Fantastic.” He ejaculated “Absolutely fantastic.”)

                                                **************

Jacob was listening to all this patiently. Puran Singh was also interested now. He was eager to know what Dinesh had deduced that the department had chosen to ignore.

( Dinesh could not make out whether it was Kanju or Omi, but he knew that only one person was involved. And this person had some interest in fixing Naresh for good. Dinesh began investigating on my own. Call it luck or Naresh’s innocence, but the first lead he got was from the same jewelry shop where Naresh worked.

When Dinesh went there he found that the shop was very big. He went to the owner and introduced himself. The owner was a young man in his late twenties. His name was Prabhat and he was the son of the gentleman who was Naresh’s boss several years ago. Dinesh told him the purpose of his visit. The boy was quite cooperative.

“Mr. Dinesh I was a child when this thing happened. It would be better if you talk to my father.”

“I would be grateful if you take me to him.”

Prabhat’s father Seth Trilokchand was a venerable saintly looking person, who Dinesh met in a temple where Sethji spent most of his waking hours. When Prabhat introduced Dinesh to him, Sethji looked at him with sad yet kind eyes.

“Namaste Dinesh Ji.”

“Sethiji,  sorry for troubling you.”

“Not at all. Please sit down.”

 Sethji pointed at the steps leading to the temple. He then came and sat beside Dinesh. Prabhat excused himself, went in, paid his respects to the deity and left discreetly.

“I was expecting you.” Sethji said in a kind voice. “All these years I have been waiting to talk to someone about the matter that has been weighing down my heart.”

Dinesh nodded numbly.

“Ask me whatever you want to.” Sethiji said.

“Sethiji” Dinesh began “Do you believe that my brother was a thief?”

Sethji sighed. Dinesh looked at his face. His further investigation depended on the answer from this respectable old man. Dinesh was quite tense.

“No!” Sethji’s voice was firm.)

                                                *********************

 (If there was one word, that lifted all the weight off a man’s chest. It was this. So relieved was Dinesh that tears streamed down his eyes. Sethji looked at him benignly.

“Your brother was a very nice boy.” Sethiji said “I treated him like my own son. He was intelligent and hard working and we all knew that he dreamt of becoming a soldier.” Sethiji smiled ruefully “Soldier in a jewelry shop.”

“Then how---?” Dinesh asked.

Sethji sighed again. “Yes! That surprised me too. Police said that they had found his fingerprints matching with that of one of the thieves. We were all stunned. I even told the police to treat the boy with kid gloves, as I was sure there had been some mistake in identity. But before we could take any step towards solving the case, the poor by hemorrhaged and died.”

There was a gloomy silence for a few moments.

“The whole thing affected me a lot.” Sethji continued. “As If the loss of property was not enough, the death of your brother shattered me completely. I was never the same again. I hung on for some more years till the business recovered and then gave away everything to my sons and ----” Sethji looked towards the temple.

Despite the gloom that pervaded all around, Dinesh instincts were intact. He sensed that the key for the puzzle lay with Sethiji. He braced himself.

“Sethiji do you think that Naresh could have been a pawn in a bigger game?”

“I don’t think. I am sure.”

 Sethji said. Startled at the tone Dinesh looked at him. Sethiji had suddenly turned grim. Dinesh waited.

“I never liked that guy.” Sethji said in a slow bitter voice. “If only he hadn’t been a good customer, I would have chosen to see the last of him.”

Now Dinesh was alert.

“Who?” He asked

“One guy came to the shop often, and went straight to Naresh every time.”

Sethji said. “It is not unusual for customers to choose their own salesmen. Further Naresh was always around, when the guy came.”

“What was his name?”

 “I don’t remember. I seldom interacted with him. Ours was one of the biggest shops in town and every day we came across several customers. This guy came only once a month or at the most every fortnight.”

Then Sethji snorted a chuckle. Dinesh looked at him quizzically.

“If only that fellow hadn’t been a beauty, I would have forgotten him.”

“Beauty?” Dinesh asked.

Sethji nodded.

 “Yes! He was a very handsome boy. Always well groomed, looked like a film star.”

 “Did he come after Naresh died?”

“No” Sethiji said. “And in spite of the arrests, the loot was never recovered.”

‘Omi Chikna!’ Dinesh thought. He kept a poker face. To make himself doubly sure, he asked Sethiji whether the name ‘OMI’ rang a bell. Sethji thought for some time and then shook his head in negative.

“Thanks Sethiji. I am relieved. It is heartening to know that you believe in my brother’s innocence.” Dinesh said.

Sethji looked at him strangely. Then he got up and took his hand.

“Naresh was lucky to have a brother like you.” He said. “Don’t let the boy’s unfortunate death go unanswered.”

Dinesh nodded, saluted Sethiji and left. It was soothing to learn that he was not the only one who was crying for Naresh.)

**********************

(From Sethji’s description of the man, it was evident that Naresh’s enemy was Omi and not Kanju. The search had narrowed down a little. From then on, Dinesh stopped thinking like Naresh’s brother, and got into the mind of this man who had led everyone by the nose.

Omi had decided to rob the shop even before he began frequenting it. And at that time Naresh would not have appeared in the picture. He was just another salesman. Sethji had said that he did not like him in spite of his good looks. Omi was friendlier with Naresh than he was with the other guys probably because both were of around the same age.

Omi came, saw, made his purchases as well as his plans, and then hit the shop for good. It was as simple as that. Cut and dried job.

‘But why should he nail Naresh?’  This is what intrigued Dinesh. There is a Hindi proverb- there are three root causes for any enmity or trouble: Land, money and woman. Naresh was not a landlord. He was not rich. And Omi had also succeeded in his own mission. Then what made him commit such a cold yet fool hardy act?

 Anyone who had pulled off such a brilliant heist, would have made sure that Naresh did not come into the picture at all, lest the innocent guy blurt out something which would be the end of Omi’s capers. After spending hours over this puzzle Dinesh came to the conclusion that the answer to the whole puzzle lay with a woman.)

                                      **************************

As there was a considerable age difference between Dinesh and Naresh, they were not so close to each other. Even nature wise they were very different. Dinesh was the sportive outgoing type, and Naresh was shy and introverted. Yet Dinesh was sure that Naresh was not a frivolous skirt chaser. So the possibility of his fighting over a girl was ruled out. Dinesh kept brooding over that matter endlessly.

And then he recalled that kid.)

                                      **************************

(This girl called Sarita was the only child of their neighbor in Maharajpura. Her father Shivlal ran a grocery shop. Naresh and Sarita were in the same school, and were thick as thieves from childhood. Every one in the locality was amused at the way the two kids behaved like two peas in a pod. Dinesh’s friends used to tease him often saying that Naresh had chosen his life partner even before Dinesh had done. Sarita spent more time at Naresh’s home than in her own house.   

Dinesh’s parents had relocated to their ancestral village after Naresh’s death. So Dinesh had lost all touch with Maharajpura. Yet on a hunch he went there and met Sarita’s father.

It was an emotional reunion. Shivlal and his wife hugged Dinesh recalled the past and shed copious tears. Dinesh learnt that Shivlal was now a big man. He owned a small departmental store that fetched him a reasonable income. A team of well trained staff took care of the store and Shivlal was enjoying the status of a respectable Seth. Shivlal told Dinesh that Sarita was married to a successful business man based in Chennai, and that his Son-in-law had financed the acquisition of this departmental store. Shivlal was all praise for that man who Shivlal called Mr. Radheyshyam. 

“And to think that I met my Son-in-law thanks to the boy who I liked most, your brother Naresh.” Shivlal sighed.

This offhand remark put Dinesh totally off balance. He steadied himself.

“Naresh?” He asked most casually.

“Yes. It was a coincidence. My Son-in-law came to my shop and inquired about Naresh’s address. They happened to be friends, and so he had come to offer his condolences after the poor boy’s demise. But your parents had left by then. So I invited him to my house for lunch.”

Dinesh smiled ruefully. Even now he was not very sure.

“What does you Son- In- Law do?” He asked.

“He is a dealer in gemstones, jewelry etc.”

“I see! How is your daughter?”

“She is very happy.” Shivlal said proudly. “My Son-in-law dotes on her. He knows about her affection for Naresh, and so he takes extra care to keep her happy. Now I am a grandfather of a beautiful young girl.”

“I am happy to know that” Dinesh exclaimed. “And I would be happier if you showed me their wedding album.”

Shivlal, the simple man that he was, obliged readily. As Dinesh opened the beautifully bound volume, his heart skipped a beat. On the very first page he saw the face that he was searching for so long.)

                                                *****************    

“Inspector Saab ( Dinesh turned towards Jacob) you have seen the dead body. The fellow looked so good even in death. But the photo in the album was several decades older, and despite my bitterness I should admit that  Omi Chikna who Shivlal knew as Radheyshyam, was a devastatingly attractive man. He could have been a film star, or a magnate or anything that he wished to be. It was indeed unfortunate that the fellow chose to be a devil.”         

( By the time Dinesh was through with Sivlal, he knew who he was looking for. Tactfully he took Sarita’s Chennai address. He told Shivlal that he was a transporter and that he may be going to Chennai on business trips.

There was a possibility of Omi finding out all about this but Dinesh was ready to take the risk. Dinesh had seen his photograph. Omi did not know how Dinesh looked like.)

                                      *******************************

(As a commando Dinesh had learnt that one should never under estimate his rival. And Omi was no ordinary foe. Dinesh planned his next move meticulously.

As a transporter who drove his own truck, it was not difficult for Dinesh to plan a trip to Chennai. The opportunity came a fortnight later. He unloaded his truck at the go down in Chennai, parked the truck, and took an auto to the place where Sarita lived. He got down a furlong away, and strolled towards the house.

As he turned into the street where Sarita’s bungalow was, Dinesh stopped abruptly. His heart leapt forward and then began racing. Omi was standing near a gleaming limousine, talking on the phone. Dinesh stepped back to hide under a tree and took a look at the fellow.

Omi looked every inch a prosperous business man. Dinesh was several paces away from him, yet he could see that the man had managed to retain his looks. Dinesh wondered how the devil could have lurked behind such a charming face.

As he stood there unsure of what to do, a young girl came out of the bungalow. She was holding a leather bag of some sort. Even a fool could have made out from her face that she was Omi’s daughter. Dinesh felt drained. Confronting Omi was one thing. But pointing an accusing finger at him in front of his child was something else. A few minutes later, father and daughter left in the car in the opposite direction. Dinesh kept standing there awkwardly.)

                                      ******************************

(But luck was on Dinesh’s side. As a matter of habit he had memorized the registration number of the car. That evening, as he was strolling outside his lodge, he saw the same car coming towards him from a distance. It turned into a parking lot near a huge temple. Dinesh walked briskly towards it. He was in time to see Sarita get down from the car and walk towards the temple.

In spite of the time lapse, Dinesh could recognize her. Her sweet plump face had aged a little, but the gentleness and innocence were still intact. He called her by her name, and she turned around. After the momentous shock she came and touched his feet.

It was Sarita who suggested that they should go to the park and have a chat. Dinesh was in two minds now. He regretted having come to Chennai. Life is for the living and Naresh was dead. There was no pointing in digging up old and bad memories. But Sarita seemed to be eager to talk to him.

The conversation began simply though. They exchanged notes about each other’s family. Dinesh was relieved that Shivlal had not mentioned about him to her. All the bitterness that Dinesh had for Omi looked insignificant compared to the affection that he had for this girl who he saw as a kid sister. Dinesh wanted to drop everything and leave, after wishing her all the best in life.)

                                      ****************************

(And then Sarita threw the vulnerable Dinesh off balance. She asked him casually, how he took Naresh’s demise. The question was so sudden and unexpected that Dinesh blurted out what he suspected. And to his horror, Sarita did not contradict him.

When Dinesh told her that he suspected foul play in the Naresh affair, Sarita gave him a sidelong glance and then stared at the ground. And then she began probing Dinesh gently. The tough and taciturn Dinesh was no match to the soft, tactful and sweet Sarita. She drew Dinesh out of his shell by throwing the necessary baits. She said that she was puzzled by the whole matter, and that she regretted her helplessness.

It did not take long for Dinesh to come out with the truth. And when he told her, her reaction was strange. Instead of shouting and cussing at Dinesh, Sarita blushed and began weeping. Now Dinesh was certain that he was on the right track. Teary eyed, he explained his position and the mental torture that he had gone through all his life. Sarita got up abruptly, hugged Dinesh tight, touched his feet again and ran away.

Dinesh sat there for an hour or so and then trudged back to his lodge. He had never felt so drained. On one side was justice and on the other was Sarita’s life. Omi was her husband and her child’s father. Much as Dinesh hated Omi, he could not bring himself to harm the guy now. It was frustrating but Dinesh had no other alternative except to drop the idea of revenge and leave Chennai for good. And that is what he did.)

******************

(During his occupation as a transporter, Dinesh had come across people from various walks of life. With some he had a casual acquaintance and with others, he was closer. Rajanand was one from the second circle.

Rajanand belonged to Bhopal. He was a dealer in electronic goods, and was a frequent traveler to major cities. After being a travelling salesman for several years, he had at last set up shop in Pune, with the help of some business associates. Things had become easier from him from then on, and save for frequent drives to Mumbai, he had begun avoiding long trips.

One winter evening, Rajanand was driving back from Mumbai to Pune as usual, when he had an attack of hay fever. To his frustration, Rajanand found that he had not brought his medicine kit along. With sheer will power, he tried to drive further, but after a few kilometers, he stopped abruptly, parked his jeep on a corner, switched the head lights on, and sat, wheezing and coughing violently. It was in the middle of the night, and Rajanand was stuck somewhere in the Western ghats. He had his cell phone but he could not make a call due to breathlessness. He thought that it was the end of the world for him.

 And then Dinesh came.)

                                      *************************

(Dinesh was driving his truck from Pune to Mumbai when he spotted the jeep. He stopped, took his cell phone and got down to see what was wrong.

Incidents like this were common in that area and Dinesh was a helpful man.

As soon as Rajanand saw Dinesh, he gave up and the attack got more severe. Dinesh picked him up, took him to his truck, gave him a strong shot of brandy, and called the patrolling police. Within half an hour the police came with an ambulance and took Rajanand to the nearest hospital. Dinesh gave his visiting card to the police and left.

A week later Dinesh got a call. It was Rajanand. He was weeping and thanking Dinesh, for the Good Samaritan act. Dinesh was happy that Rajanand was hale and healthy again. Rajanand insisted on meeting Dinesh on his next trip that side. A month later they met, and Rajanand hugged him, and took him to his family and friends. Dinesh was amused by this show of emotion but he played along. Rajanand took him home and treated him to a splendid dinner. From then on they were close pals, and at Rajanand’s insistence, Dinesh made it a point to look him up or call him whenever he was in Mumbai.)

                                      **************************

(Rajanand was a prosperous business man. He also had contacts with other big wigs in different lines of business. Within a year, Dinesh was a regular guest at a club in Mumbai where Rajanand was a member.

On the completion of one year of their friendship, Rajanand invited Dinesh for dinner and drinks. It was on the same day that Dinesh had given a new lease of life to Rajanand a year before. Some of Rajanand’s close friends were also invited. The group celebrated the evening, drinking and chatting quietly. Rajanand praised Dinesh sky high, to the embarrassment of the cool headed soldier. As the evening wore on Dinesh learnt that one of Rajanand’s guests was a dealer in artificial jewelry and gems. Tactfully Dinesh filed this information away without revealing anything.

This was   some months after Dinesh had met Sarita in Chennai.)

*******************

(Six months passed without any communication between Dinesh and Sarita. By now the man had left the problem behind. As far as he was concerned, it was all over. He had scrupulously avoided any trip to Chennai.

One evening, as he was getting ready to take a load of goods to Jaipur, Dinesh got a call. Dinesh looked at the number on his cell phone and frowned. It was from Sarita. He answered the call. Even as they exchanged greetings, Dinesh could make out that Sarita was depressed. He asked her if everything was alright. Sarita began weeping. Dinesh was embarrassed. He tried to console her. But what Sarita said made Dinesh teary eyed. She wondered how Dinesh could swallow such an injustice to the one person who they both loved so much. Sarita told him that from the day she met Dinesh, a part of her was dead. She could not face Omkar any more. She was disgusted with herself, with Omi and with her affluent but artificial life. She said that she would have been happier as the wife of a nicer though poorer Naresh. The suspicion that Omi had caused Naresh’s demise only to wed her, made Sarita hate herself more than she hated Omi.

Finally Sarita told Dinesh that if they left this gross injustice unpaid for, her soul would never rest in peace.)

                                      *************************

(All the way to Jaipur, Dinesh pondered over the situation. The more he recalled his conversation with Sarita, the more upset he got. He could realize that Sarita still loved Naresh, and that her plight was even more pathetic than his own. He had lost a brother. She had not only lost the love of her life, but was forced to live with the very person who was solely responsible for her loss.

At Jaipur  Dinesh got a consignment to be unloaded at Surat. He jumped at it. When he reached Surat, Dinesh called Rajanand. They met at the same club in Mumbai the next evening. Without revealing much, Dinesh told Rajanand that he wanted to confront a man who owed him a huge debt. Dinesh told him that the man was dealing in gems and artificial jewelry and that Dinesh wanted some one who could help him meet this guy. Rajanand agreed to help.

Within weeks, Rajanand and his own gem dealer friend trained a fellow in the rudiments of the business. This guy was a professional conman and he agreed to work for them for a reasonable price.  They supplied him with the necessary samples, visiting cards with a fictitious name, and an office address along with a complete list of cell numbers of people from the jewelry line. This guy, who now called himself Lalit Kumar, approached Omkar as a regular dealer in gems, and artificial jewelry.)

                                      ****************************

(Over the years, Omkar had become more and more laidback and complacent. Years of rich and peaceful living had eroded whatever suspicion or caution he had in the beginning. Providentially, Sarita too had chosen to suffer silently, instead of pitch forking the whole family into turmoil by asking Omkar embarrassing questions. When Lalit Kumar’s call came, Omkar was the last guy to suspect anything.

Neither Dinesh nor Lalit knew each other. Lalit played his role as a dealer of gems perfectly well.  Initially the conversation between him and Omkar was over the phone. Then Omkar looked him up on one of his trips to Mumbai. This foreplay went on for a couple of months, till Dinesh informed that the he was ready for the showdown.

Lalit contacted Omkar and told him that he was coming to Pondicherry on business and that later he would call him so that they could meet. Meanwhile Lalit informed Dinesh about the plan. Dinesh came to Mahabalipuram, and checked into a seedy hotel. The next evening, he got a call from Lalit Kumar that Omkar had arrived. Dinesh gave him the necessary instructions and waited. That morning Lalit saw Dinesh for the first time. Both took the necessary precautions. Lalit had given a wrong forwarding address, and Dinesh dressed himself up like a well to do landlord who had come to the city for the first time.)

                                      ****************************

(Omkar came to the motel where Lalit Kumar was staying and the two went out in Omkar’s car. As Omkar had driven all the way from Chennai, Lalit offered to do the driving now. Lalit told Omkar that he had come there to meet an old friend and that the three should have supper together. Omkar nodded. It was already dusk and soon enough it was dark.

Lalit drove the car to the hotel where Dinesh was waiting for the two. On being introduced to Omkar by Lalit, Dinesh played the rustic fool to perfection. He beamed and put Omkar further off guard by making silly statements.

After the two settled down, Dinesh went in and brought a bottle of Whiskey, and suggested that they should have a couple of drinks before going for supper.

The three sat down for the evening. Lalit was the common friend and hence he kept up the conversation for a while. When they were two pegs down, Lalit excused himself to bring cigarettes, and vanished. His work was over.)

                                      *************************

(It was certainly Omkar’s Judgement day. His past was catching up with him. A couple of moments after Lalit disappeared, It began drizzling. As it was rainy season, the windows were already closed. This was a seedy dingy rat hole usually occupied by junkies and tourists. No occupant bothered to find out what the other was doing. Every one had his own problems to take care of.

Dinesh, excused himself, went, closed the door and turned around. Omkar’s back was towards him. Dinesh stepped forward and pressed the nerves behind Omkar’s ears, suddenly and expertly. Omkar slumped forward. Dinesh, picked him up and took him to the wash room. He then sealed all the doors and windows. Now the two were alone.

Dinesh splashed ice water on Omkar’s face. The fellow groaned and tried to open his eyes. Dinesh stared at him.

“Hello Omkar!” The silly babble had vanished and the trademark growl had taken over.

Omi winced. He could recall that Lalit had introduced him to this peasant as “Radheyshyam.” ‘Then how could this fellow call him by the name which even he himself had chosen to forget?’

“What?” Omi hissed.

“I said hello!” Dinesh spat  “Omi Chikna.”

Omi sat bolt upright. He stared at the face which was as stern and hard as it looked stupid and vulnerable just half an hour back.

“ I --- I --- don’t understand!” He stammered.

Dinesh looked at him and smiled. Then he sat down on a stool. Omkar’s mind got clearer. He mistook Dinesh for a police man or a detective who was probably digging up old files.)

                                      **************************  

(Omkar was no ordinary criminal. He still retained the same old devilish brain and the confidence of a gangster. In a second he began planning his way out of this situation.

“What do you want?” He asked quietly.

“What do you have?” Dinesh parried.

“Ask me.”

“I want Naresh back.”

A mule’s kick on the head would not have had a more devastating effect on Omkar than this short line from Dinesh. He jerked backwards, sucked some air and puked on the floor. Then he began coughing wildly. Tears streamed down Omkar’s face but this did not fool the soldier. Omkar spat, rinsed his mouth, and then slumped on the closed commode. Dinesh waited patiently.

“Who are you?” Omkar gasped.

“Dinesh! Naresh’s elder brother.”

Omkar stared at the floor for a few moments. Lalit had introduced Dinesh as “Shri Vilayati Prasad.”

Omkar felt very exhausted. He tried to say something but words failed him. Now he knew that he can’t fool the man who faced him now. Neither his looks, nor his charm, nor all that he had acquired over the years could impress this solid, stolid, specimen of manhood.

“Tell me what you want me to do!” Omkar was amazed at his own voice. It wasn’t that of a successful, charming, confident business man. Instead he sounded like an aging petty trader who was trying to reason with the authorities who had come to demolish his shop.

“I want the complete story.” Dinesh said.)

                                      *****************************

 (Dinesh took out a small tape recorder from his pocket. Omkar looked at it disbelievingly. Dinesh placed the tape recorder on a small stool near Omkar.

  “I am going to record every word of what you say. Let it take the whole night. I don’t care. But I want the complete testament in your own voice. And listen---” Here Dinesh leaned forward and peeped into Omkar’s eyes

“I know that you know who I am. Don’t try to play tough guy with me. I will not blink before snapping your dainty neck.” Dinesh displayed his sinewy arms.

Omkar closed his eyes. He indeed knew who Dinesh was. It dawned on him that it was the end of the road for him. This man certainly meant business. Omkar shivered at the thought of spending the rest of his life in a prison cell. He brooded for a few moments. Dinesh was in no hurry. Omkar smiled weakly. He imagined the reaction of his family and those who knew him, once they learnt about the other side of the man who they all knew, loved, revered and respected as Radheshyam.

The name Radheyshyam struck a chord. The gangster shook his head slowly. Dinesh frowned. Omkar looked at Dinesh.

“Okay!” he said finally. “You want the whole story. You will get it.”)

Omkar spoke for hours.  What he said made Dinesh wonder whether facts could be so incredible.)

                                      ***************************

(Naresh was a salesman in one of the big jewelry shops which Omkar frequented. Besides dealing in such items, Omkar also liked to wear them. Naresh and Omkar were of the same age and thus became good friends within a short time. Omkar’s house was on the way to Naresh’s house and so, Naresh would drop in on weekends for drinks and snacks.  

Naresh belonged to a village called Maharajpura in the outskirts of the city. Naresh’s elder brother Dinesh was in the armed forces and was posted at the Rajasthan border overlooking Pakistan. It was also Naresh’s dream to join the millitary. He had applied once but failed, and now he was preparing again for the written exam.

One evening as they sat in Omkar’s house, Naresh told him about his plans. While Naresh was a heavy guzzler, Omkar sipped his whiskey slowly.

With a couple of pegs down his throat, Naresh got tipsy and romantic. He slipped into a fond reverie and slurred that he looked forward to becoming a soldier and marrying Sarita.

“Sarita?” Omkar smiled. “Who is she?”

Naresh screwed his eyes to see Omkar clearly. “You don’t know? Haven’t I told you before? She is the love of my life.”

“Oh is it!”

Naresh fumbled into his pocket and took out his purse. He opened it and handed it over to Omkar.

“See that is her photograph.”

Omkar threw a casual glance at the mug shot. And then he sat rooted to the chair. It was the face of a very young fresh looking girl, who was pretty in a homely way. If there was something called love at first sight, it was this. Opposites attract. Sarita’s delicate features and innocent look hit the cunning Omkar like a thunderbolt. He felt that he and Sarita were made for each other. She was the type who every young man would love to have as a life partner. Omkar was young and he wanted her. He masked his feelings and returned the snap to Naresh.

“How is she?” Naresh asked.

“Excellent choice” Omkar answered politely.)

                                      ********************

Omkar’s devilish brain began working. That evening, when Naresh left, Omkar put on plastic gloves, took Naresh’s glass carefully and placed it inside a cardboard box.

 Omkar knew Naresh’s address in  Maharajpura. Naresh had told him every thing about his family. And on that fateful evening Omkar came to know that Sarita was Naresh’s neighbor.

One evening a fews day later Omkar went to Maharajpura and walked towards Naresh’s house.

Omkar was aware that he was unusually good looking and hence his face could get registered easily. It was winter. He wore a huge oversized pullover, and tied a thick blue scarf around his head. He also wore horn rimmed spectacles to be doubly sure that he looked commonplace. In such an attire it wasn’t difficult for him to act like a young man suffering from a bad cold. Wheezing and coughing, he entered the street where Naresh lived. To his amazement, Sarita was standing outside her house talking to a small child. Omkar slowed his pace and looked at her without getting noticed himself.

She was wearing a pink color suit, socks, and slippers, and had a shawl draped around her body. Her face was plain, but healthy and glowing. There was not an ounce of guile in her big black eyes. She had a very small mouth and her lips were rosy. Omkar walked towards her wheezing and sweating. As he reached near her, he stopped and began breathing heavily. Sarita and the child looked at him. Omkar gave them a pathetic glance and looked away. In spite of the fact that he had hidden his identity pretty well, Omkar did not want to take any chances. After a few minutes, he slowly walked away without uttering one word.                                  

During a casual conversation with Naresh, Omkar learnt that Sarita’s father ran a grocery store near their house in Maharajpura. Omkar filed away the name of the store in his memory.)

                                                *********************

(Now, Omkar called his gang for a meeting.  It was at the back of an isolated pump set in the midst of a wheat field. It was a very cold night and every one came completely furred up. Besides liquor, snacks, and food for all of them, Omkar had also brought the crockery. He was a good host. As they chatted and discussed about a new job, Omkar deftly slipped Naresh’s glass in the midst of other glasses. As the hours passed, Omkar drew out a blue print for the next job.

The Police station at Inderganj, received an anonymous phone call at the wee hours of the same night. The caller gave them specific details of the spot where the gang was planning a burglary, without revealing his identity. He however told them that they could collect several fingerprints from the spot.

The police moved swiftly and took possession of the glasses and the crockery from which they dusted six sets of finger prints.

Exactly one month later, on a foggy night the gang hit the jewelry shop where Naresh worked. It was one of the best jobs the gang had ever done. They came out with a booty, that could settle them all for the rest of their lives.)

                                      *****************************

(The police came to the jewelry shop and took the fingerprints of all the employees as a routine check. In the evening a police jeep screeched to a halt outside the shop, a couple of hefty cops got down, entered the shop and nabbed Naresh, to the horror of all those inside and outside the shop.

Naresh was too stunned to even mutter something. When the owner asked the cops the reason for their doing so, they told him that Naresh’s finger prints matched that of one of the suspects. Naresh swooned there and then. He was carried by the cops to a clinic nearby where he was put on drips. Naresh’s parents and relatives were informed and they reached the clinic. His mother threw a fit. Naresh’s father and relatives went to the police station and told the inspector that Naresh was a very good boy who wanted to serve his beloved country. A boy with such noble intentions would never do any thing so demoniac.

The inspector was sympathetic. He promised that if Naresh cooperated with them, the department would not harm him and may even set him free.

Omkar was a cold blooded scoundrel. He had planned the whole thing very well. The robbery took place on a Thursday night. The police arrested Naresh on Friday evening. Saturday and Sunday were off for courts. So Naresh would have to spend the weekend in the lockup.)

                                      ******************************

(Poor Naresh, was a hypersensitive lad. The thought of his being arrested had a shattering effect on him. His imagination went wild. The thought of losing face in the market, the thought of Sarita’s reaction to all this and the fear that with a police record, he may be barred from writing the exam for joining the forces, hammered his stunned but subconscious mind repeatedly. He could not imagine why or how all this happened. In the wee hours of Saturday, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and died.

When the news of his death reached Maharajpura, Sarita swooned. Sarita was Naresh’s childhood sweetheart. They were waiting for Naresh’s selection in the Armed forces before getting married. They studied in the same school, played together and chatted for long hours even when they were kids. There was nothing that the two did not know about each other.

The whole locality was distraught. Every one cried for the young girl. It was with a heavy heart that the people in the area attended Naresh’s funeral.  As the police could not get any statement from him, The FIR was filed away and the police started investigating without any lead.)

**********************

(When the burglary took place, Omkar was out of town on one of his business trips. A fortnight later, the gang met again, this time at another lonely spot. The loot was handed over to Omkar, who gave them all a hefty advance. The gang celebrated the success with drinks and delicacies and then went back to their routine. Omkar stuffed the loot in the hidden cavity in his car and drove away. He would now focus on disposing it off.

Omkar had been doing this for the past eight years. He was an ace in this field. But now he was getting bored of the grind and was seriously thinking of starting a new life.

Omkar’s foresightedness had hoodwinked the cops completely. The gang members lived in separate localities and were seldom seen together. They were five different guys from five different areas. Further, as per Omkar’s suggestion, each had carefully cultivated a legitimate image and shunned the company of the bad guys in their own localities. So it was all the more difficult for the police to get any tip about any one of them.)

                                      ****************************   

(One evening Omkar called Kanju. Kanju and Omkar went back a long way. It was Kanju who had introduced the other three to Omkar. Even now, before taking up any assignment,  Omkar and Kanju discussed the plan initially, before disclosing it to the others. Omkar had called Kanju under the pretext that he had a job in mind, that was to be executed at a small township called Dhaulpur. Kanju came to the meeting spot where Omkar picked him up in his car and the two drove away. It was around eleven in the night when they reached an isolated spot. Omkar stopped the car to take a leak. Both stepped out, and Omkar went to a corner. Kanju stretched himself and began lighting a cigarette. With amazing dexterity Omkar reached behind Kanju and shot him dead.

 After stripping the body to its under garments, Omkar dragged it to a railway track. He placed the body on the track with the hands on one of the lines. Then he went back to the car and waited patiently. Half an hour later he heard the sound of an approaching train.

At three in the morning the same police station that had been informed about the fingerprints, received an anonymous call. The caller told them that one “Omi Chikna” who had participated in the burglary at the jewelry shop, had been killed by the other gang members, and his body thrown on the railway track. He also informed the spot where it was lying.

The police went next day and recovered the body.  The hand and the head were completely smashed. So the police could do nothing but to dispose it off after completing the formalities.)

******************

(Now Omkar was officially dead and had all the loot in his possession. He drove the car to Agra, parked it at an isolated place, removed all the papers, the number plates, the loot from the cavity and his suitcase, and boarded a train to Madras. He knew that the car would be disposed off by professional car thieves even before the train reached Gwalior.

Omkar was a traveler who had visited several towns and cities. When he decided to start life afresh, he had also thought about where he could lose himself into the crowd easily. After due deliberation, he had chosen this southern metropolis. It was a big city, crowded, yet the population was not so cosmopolitan. With his trade and his skills, he could easily set up a shop dealing in fancy items, artificial jewelry and gemstones. Omkar spoke English well. He had a couple of south Indian friends who were in the same line and who were happy to be of assistance to him. These south Indians knew him as Radhey Shyam which happened to be his official name. Omkar settled down to a peaceful life.

One month later, the police station in Gwalior received the third and final tip. A few hours later Bankey, Gopa and Kairy were arrested. When they were grilled they claimed that the loot was with Omi Chikna. The police laughed. When the three stunned gangsters were shown the photograph of the badly mangled body, they could not make out that it was Kanju’s and not Omkar’s.)

                                      ******************************

(Six months after he settled down in Madras, Omkar decided to make his next move. Talent is what you possess but genius is what possesses you. Omkar was a genius. He had the right combination of talent, luck and pluck, besides a razor sharp brain, and a focus that was truly amazing. When he set his sight on something, he did not rest till he got it. And he had set his eyes on Sarita.

Naresh and “Omi Chikna” were dead. Radhey Shyam was alive. Now it was time for Omkar to contact Sarita’s father Shivlal. And this he did with his typical cunning and tact. He reached Gwalior, and took an auto directly to Maharajpura reaching there just before midnight. He took a room in a small hotel, signing the register as Radheshyam. Next morning he went to Shivlal’s shop.

“Namaste!” He saluted the elderly man.

Shivlal acknowledged the salute.

“Mr. Shivlal?”

“That is me.”

“My name is Radheyshyam. Naresh told me about you.”  

“Which  Naresh?”

“ Naresh, who was working in the jewelry shop in Gwalior.”

Shivlal got instantly suspicious. He thought that the man standing in front of him was a police spy who had come to collect information. Omkar was prepared for this. Before Shivlal could say something Omkar dispelled his fears.

“Sir I know what you are thinking. Actually I was a regular customer in that shop and thus I came to know about him. I am usually on tour and had been in south for the past several months. I learnt about this tragedy through a common acquaintance. I was on my way to Delhi, when I decided to come and pay my condolences to his family. I don’t know his address, but I remembered his telling me that his neighbor ran a grocery shop. So I came to you.”

Shivlal relaxed a bit. He offered him tea. Then Shivlal told him that Naresh’s family had left the town and gone back to their village which was in a remote area. They chatted for some time.

“Oh I see.” Omkar sighed. Then he sipped his tea quietly. Shivlal asked him about his business. Omkar gave him his business card. Shivlal looked at the handsome, affluent looking young man, and thought about his own unfortunate daughter.

“Actually Naresh was more than a neighbor to me.” Shivlal said sadly.

‘Here it comes’ Omkar thought “ Oh! Really?”

Shivlal nodded.” He was to become my son in law.”

“Oh! I see.” Omkar said sympathetically. “I am sorry.”

“Are you married?” Shivlal asked suddenly.

“Me? No Sir. Actually I have settled down just now. Further, my parents are both dead, and so----” Omkar let it hang.

“There is none to look for a suitable match for you.” Shivlal completed the sentence.

” That is right.” Omkar smiled feebly.

“How long would you be in Gwalior?”

“I was thinking of leaving tonight. Is there anything you want me to do?”

“No, I just thought that as you are Naresh’s friend and his family is not here, you may drop in for lunch at my house.”

Omkar smiled “With pleasure Sir if it does not bother you and your family.”

“ Not at all. It is a pleasure.”

Shivlal would never know how deliriously happy Omkar was. This was the chance he was waiting for. And it had fallen in his lap in a most unexpected manner. On the way to Shivlal’s house that afternoon, Omkar insisted on purchasing sweets, and fruits. He gifted the parcel to Shivlal’s wife, and floored her with his charm, sweet talk, and manners. Sarita was no where in sight.

Omkar left after lunch with a promise that he would return a week later, on his way back to Madras. That evening Sarita’s mother and Shivlal had a long chat about Sarita’s future. Both had seen Omkar, and liked what they saw.)

                                                **********************

(When Omkar came the next time, Shivlal told him that he had a daughter who was well educated, young, pretty, and was supposed to marry Naresh but due to his unfortunate and unexpected demise, he was searching for a suitable match for her.

“Sir if you consider me for the alliance, I would feel obliged.” Omkar said softly.

“That is the reason why I requested you to drop in on your way back.” Shivlal smiled. “Wait I shall call my daughter.”

Sarita came with her mother into the hall, and stood shyly. Omkar’s throat went dry. As he got up to greet her, his legs were shaking.

“Namaste.” He said softly.

Sarita folded her hands in return. Both stood there awkwardly for a few moments.

“Sit down Mr. Radheyshyam.” Shivlal said affectionately. 

Omkar sat down and stared at the floor. Shivlal smiled at Sarita and she went back discreetly.

From her room, Sarita saw Omkar. He was certainly a very handsome man. Far better looking than any one she had met till now. Naresh and she used to exchange notes often and she knew a lot about him, his employer, his colleagues etc. But she could not recall Radheyshyam’s name. Probably he was just an acquaintance. Yes, her father mentioned that he was a regular customer in that shop.

Being a worried father Shivlal wanted things to happen fast. Omkar and Sarita got married a month later. Sarita came to Chennai with her mother and set up her household. Omkar was on cloud nine. He had achieved what he wanted. When Rashmi was born a year later, Omkar cup was full.)

                                      *******************************

(By the time Omkar came to the climax of his strange life story, it was already midnight. Dinesh had to change the tapes a couple of times to record the complete monologue. Now he had the poison to nail Omkar for good.

“Yes, I wanted Sarita badly” Omkar concluded “but I never intended to kill Naresh. I knew that he was a soft guy but ---” He looked at the floor “Believe me I was shocked on learning about his death.”

All through this period something was nagging at the back of Dinesh’s mind. He knew that Omkar was telling the truth. He also realized that this testament would be Omkar’s ticket to hell. And that wondered him. How could Omkar be so docile?

“Is that all?” Dinesh asked.

“What else? You wanted the complete story. I gave you more than you asked for.”

Dinesh took the tapes, put them in his pocket along with the recorder and opened the door to go out. With lightening speed, Omkar lunged forward.

With the dexterity and cold bloodedness of a professional criminal, Omkar attacked Dinesh with the long thick wooden brush that he had spotted at a corner of the wash room. Omkar was shorter and softer than Dinesh, but he was desperate. His future depended on the tapes that were now in Dinesh’s pocket. He needed them so badly that he stopped thinking of the consequences of such a foolhardy act.

Dinesh smiled instinctively. He was ready for this. He turned around grinned, stopped the reckless blow with his left hand and in one swift move punched Omkar on the face.

As Omkar spotted the fist coming towards him, he tried to ward off the blow. In the process, he slipped on the wet washroom floor. His head jerked back, and the punch that should have landed on his jaw, hit his chest.

Omkar gasped, fell backwards and lay still. Dinesh stared at the prostrate figure. He knew that Omkar was not built for a punch like this. He kneeled down and placed his palm under Omkar’s nose. A moment later he got up and went out.

Dinesh kept the cassettes and the tape recorder on the table, made himself a stiff shot of whiskey, and gulped it down.)

*************************

(Omkar’s sudden death shook Dinesh. If only he had not been the tough guy that he was, Dinesh would have panicked. The whiskey had the desired effect. Dinesh relaxed and tried to think.

Naresh’s death had been vindicated. This relieved Dinesh. He felt light hearted after several years. Omkar had paid his debt. He did not deserve any thing better. But now Sarita was a widow, and the child Rashmi, who Dinesh hardly knew, had lost her father. This pained him.

Dinesh went and stared out of the window. It was pouring cats and dogs. Dinesh went and peeped into the wash room. Omkar was still motionless. Dinesh came back and stared at the table where the cassettes lay. And then he spot the bunch of keys.

They were lying at the other end of the table. Dinesh picked them up and frowned. Then he realized that they were Omkar’s car keys. Dinesh went back, stripped Omkar to his under garments, and carried the body to the bed. Then he checked his clothes.

Dinesh had taken his bath early in the morning and then he had been using only the wash basin. The washroom had not been used for some time. Yet as he had fallen in the wash room, Omkar’s clothes were slightly wet.

Other than the usual wallet, handkerchief, a packet of cigarettes which was now almost empty, and an expensive lighter , Omkar was not carrying anything with him. Now Dinesh realized, what had bothered him for so long. Omkar was not carrying a gun or any weapon. It spoke volumes about the dead man’s complacence.  Without wasting much time, Dinesh dressed Omkar up again. The whiff of perfume still emanated from the man’s handkerchief and clothes. Omkar was some dandy.)

                                      *************************

(A few hours before dawn, Dinesh opened the door and strolled out. The rains had stopped. He looked around to assure himself that all was quiet. He went and opened the front doors of Omkar’s car. Then he returned, picked up the body, which now weighed a ton, and took it to the car.

Placing the body in a sitting position on the front seat, Dinesh drove away. He had to move fast before rigor mortis set in. Driving steadily, he crossed the toll gate and sped towards Chennai. After a couple of kilometers, Dinesh began looking for a suitable place to dump the body. His nerves were taut and he was observing every thing astutely. Dinesh could not afford to make any mistake now. As there was not much traffic, he could drive at the centre of the road, so that he could see on both sides easily.

After driving for around forty five minutes, Dinesh spotted a ditch on the right side. He drove towards it and stopped on the road a few paces away. Then he studied the ditch.

In spite of the heavy down pour the ditch was some how only half filled with rain water. Dinesh switched the head lights off and waited for some time. All through the drive he had thought of all the precautionary steps. He got out of the car, and stepped on the tarred road. Carefully, he caught hold of Omkar’s right arm, and began dragging him slowly towards the driver’s seat. For a strong man like Dinesh it was not very difficult. Once the body was in the right position, Dinesh lifted Omkar’s stiff hands and placed them on the steering wheel. Then he closed the door and windows and deftly walked to the back of the car. Dinesh had already taken the cell phone, the cigarette pack, the lighter and the car keys in his possession.

Slowly, with all his strength Dinesh pushed the car into the ditch. It went in with a splash. Carefully tiptoeing a few steps towards the ditch, Dinesh leaned forward and made sure that the car had landed well. He then began walking towards Chennai. A couple of kilometers later he saw a buildings on both sides.)

                                      ********************

 (Dinesh was one lucky man. The police patrol car had not spotted him till now. He entered one of the buildings on the left side. Standing in a dark corner, he lit one of Omkar’s remaining few cigarettes and began thinking.

Now he planned his next move. He called the police using Omkar’s cell phone, informed them about an accident at East Coast Road, removed the SIM card, and threw it into a gutter. Then he walked into a small lane that passed through a sleepy locality and reached a broad road that led to the main bus stop in a place called Thiruvanmiyur. There he boarded the first bus that took him to the other end of the city. By the time he reached there, it was already early morning. For the next couple of hours Dinesh whiled away his time, filling his belly with snacks and numerous cups of tea.

After lunch Dinesh took a circuitous route back to his hotel, and checked out at 6 PM. Then he went to one of the transport companies where he used to unload his consignments as a trucker, and managed a trip to Bangalore in one of the trucks. And thus he hitch hiked his way back to Gwalior.)

                                      ****************************

“I still have the tapes which I used to record Omkar’s monologue.” Dinesh told Jacob, Puran Singh and Chellappa. “If only I had known the purpose of my being called here I would have brought them along. As I had mentioned before, Omkar’s death was an accident. If my intention had been to kill him, I would have done that long back and that too with ease.

I have told you every thing that I know. Now it is for you to decide my fate.”

Dinesh stopped talking. The room was quiet again. Puran Singh looked at Jacob. Jacob sat playing with the paper weight on Puran Singh’s table. Chellappa kept staring at the floor.

“What time is my train?” Jacob asked Puran.

“Eleven Thirty.” Puran Singh deadpanned.

Jacob looked at the clock on the wall. It showed 9. 45 PM.

“How did you come?” Jacob turned towards Dinesh.

Dinesh frowned for a second.

“Oh I came by Auto.” He replied still puzzled at the question.

Jacob smiled at him.

“Sorry Mr. Dinesh. I don’t have a ticket for you to Chennai.”

Jacob waited for a moment. Dinesh tried to make out what Jacob said.

 “But if you want I shall drop you home on my way back.”

Dinesh closed his eyes. The gesture was so disarming that he dropped his guard. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Chellappa smiled at Jacob. Jacob placed his hand on Dinesh’s back. The tough soldier began sobbing.

A visibly relaxed Puran Singh rang the bell. A constable came in.

“Get some snacks and tea for four.” Puran said. “And ask the driver to be ready to drop Jacob Saab and Chellappa Saab at the station.”

The constable nodded, looked at the weeping Dinesh, shook his head disbelievingly and went out.

                                                *********************

                                      ********************************

Senior Inspector Jacob Janardhanan sat on his desk reading a file and sipping the piping hot tea that was served to him a few moments earlier. It was his seventh cup from the time when he came to the office last evening. There was one cigarette left in the packet that he had bought on the way to the office. And it was a pack of twenty. 'Too many cigarettes and too many teas' He thought ruefully. 'I'll have to cut down.'

This was a resolution he made every day, and broke after a few hours. Nothing had changed in the past twenty years. It was 4 AM and Jacob had finished reading the file. He stretched himself on the chair and then went to the wash room.

"I am a little tired." He told the constable. "I shall go to the back room and lie down a bit. Don't wake me up unless it is absolutely important."

"Yes Sir." The constable replied.

                                      ***************************

Very tall, very thin with a long face and sharp features, Jacob with his receding hairline and brooding deep set black eyes would have blended perfectly into a college room or a seminar. He was an intellectual and he looked it. He was a voracious reader and had a gluttonous appetite for knowledge. He had chosen to be a cop not because of the action involved but because he loved to solve mysteries. He had an excellent record and had won several rewards, increments and awards for his devotion, sincerity, and hard work. Meticulousness was a habit with him. He had solved many cases by sheer scientific and logical analysis and was averse to using force.

The phone rang and the constable picked up. Some one was reporting an accident. The constable jotted down the details on a pad and then rang up the patrolling party. The accident had happened at the east coast road near a place called Uthandi some half a kilometer away from the sea.

When Jacob came out at 5AM, the constable told him about the phone call. Jacob nodded when the constable told him about the action taken. Jacob went to the wash room again and drank a glass of water. The phone rang again. He picked up.

"Pallavakkam police station,"

"Jacob Sir, Chellappa here."

"Tell me."

"Sir I am at the site where the accident occurred."

"Oh!"

"Sir I think its some thing that could interest you."

Jacob’s drowsiness vanished. He listened for a moment and then ran out to his bike, shouting instructions to the constable on the way.

                                      ****************************

The car lay inside a ditch with the front side hitting the ground and the back side hanging obscenely in air. It was a red colored Maruti Zen but in that early morning light, the color wasn't very clear.

There were a lot of police men and a couple of them were standing inside the pit. Jacob parked his bike near the patrol car and walked towards a dark well built man who was talking on the Walkie talkie.

"Hello Chellappa."

The man saluted and Jacob acknowledged the salute.

"Sir, As soon as I got the message from your station I came here."

Jacob nodded.

"I saw the car in this condition and immediately got down to see if I could save the people inside. But there is only one man and he is dead."

Jacob nodded again and went near the pit. Then he peered inside. The police men were careful not to tamper with anything. Chellappa had told them that Mr Jacob was on the way.

"Informed the ambulance?"

"Yes Sir. They are on the way."

As if on cue they heard the sound of the fast approaching ambulance. Men got out and laid out the stretcher.

"Please be careful." Chellappa went and told the chief among them. "This is a police case."

Chellappa was one of Jacob's favorite assistants. At thirty five he was ten years younger than Jacob. In the initial stages he had had an opportunity to work under Jacob and had learnt a lot from the experience. Even after they were posted to different police stations or check posts, Chellappa had kept in touch with his mentor. When ever he came across a case, Chellappa applied his mind to it, the way Jacob had taught him. This had borne the desired results and Chellappa was praised for his style of working on the cases. Where ever he had doubts, Chellappa would not hesitate to contact Jacob who in turn would extend all possible help. And this time too it wasn’t different. Chellappa had called Jacob as soon as he studied the over turned car.

                                      *****************************                                             

The body was carefully extracted and brought up. Jacob and Chellappa went closer to have a look.

It was that of a remarkably handsome male dressed in a white shirt and dark trousers. The man wore white socks and brown shoes which looked quite expensive. He was obviously well to do. As the body was placed on the stretcher, Jacob peered at it. On the right wrist the dead man wore a   golden watch. He also wore expensive rings on the fingers of both his hands. There was a faint smell of perfume from his clothes. The eyes were half open. What intrigued Jacob most was that, except for a few scratch marks the beautiful face was intact. The face was oval, with regular features, a thin clipped moustache, and fleshy lips, the color of mahogany. The man was a smoker.

The ambulance took the body away to the nearest hospital.

                                      ***********************                          

Jacob and Chellappa returned to Jacob's office. Jacob called the constable who was on duty at the time when the call came. That man had completed his night duty and was eager to go home. Jacob did not detain him.

"What time did the call come?"

"At 4.40 A.M. Sir"

"Thanks, you may go now"

Jacob then put a call to the control room. "Please trace the call which came to Pallavakkam police station at 4. 40 AM."

Tea and biscuits arrived.

"Now tell me brother what makes you feel that there is something special about this accident." Jacob smiled at Chellappa.

"Sir, Yesterday night there was a downpour at east coast road. The car had fallen into the ditch on the side which would be used by a driver while going from Chennai towards Mahabalipuram."

Jacob nodded.

"The way it ended up at the ditch, at such an hour, shows that it was running at quite a speed."

 Jacob nodded again.

"Maruti Zen is a small and comparatively light vehicle. The ditch is five feet from the road. This patch of land in between is muddy because of yesterday's rain. If the Maruti had for some reason skidded and gone into the ditch, there would have been lots of marks on the muddy ground. Secondly with the force with which it landed, the front portion of the car would have been completely smashed. ."

"Fantastic." Jacob smiled and lit a cigarette." Go ahead."

Chellappa smiled happily. "In that case Sir, the driver in the car would have been a pulpy mess."

Jacob chuckled.

The phone rang. Jacob picked up. Then he gestured to Chellappa. Chellappa noted down the phone number of the caller who had informed about the accident. It was from a cell phone.

"May I know whose cell it is? Oh! It is registered in the name of Rashmi enterprises. Thank you."

Jacob put down the phone. There were no skid marks on the muddy ground between the road and the ditch. Chellappa was right. There was a possibility that the car had been pushed into the ditch to make it look like an accident.

                                      ****************************

At 8.00 AM both went to the hospital where the body was kept. As they entered the corridor, Jacob spotted a woman and a young girl sitting outside a particular room.

"The guy's relatives," Jacob whispered to Chellappa who nodded in return.

Jacob entered the room and identified himself. Chellappa stood outside near the women. Without looking at them straight, Chellappa observed the two. The older woman was dressed soberly and was holding the corner of the sari to hide her mouth. She was sobbing softly. The girl was a very pretty looking teenager and bore a striking resemblance to the dead man. She was weeping with her face against the shoulder of the woman. They were obviously mother and daughter. The daughter was dressed in off white jeans and red T shirt. Then Chellappa spotted a man at the corner of the corridor. He was a dark medium built young man of around twenty five. He was dressed in white pant and white trousers. On seeing Chellappa the man made a move towards him. When he approached nearer, the man saluted Chellappa.

"Who are you?"

"Driver Sir!"

The two women looked at them.

"What is your name?"

"Muthu Sir"

"You brought them here?" Chellappa pointed at the women.

"Yes Sir."

Jacob peeped out and gestured. Chellappa went in. The body had been kept in an ante room inside. The Doctor was standing by its side.

"He died because of a blow from a blunt object to his chest." The doctor said. A couple of ribs are broken, and the death was due to sudden and severe asphyxiation leading to cardiac arrest. "

"Could it be because the car hit the ground with such sudden force and his chest hit the steering wheel?" Jacob asked.

"Could be, I am not sure. But I was told that the accident was reported in the early hours today."

"That is right. At 4.40 AM."

"The man died at least three hours before that."

Both Jacob and Chellappa kept a poker face. "Sure?"

"Absolutely"                                           

                                      **********************

The family had been informed about the tragedy by the inspector who had accompanied the body to the hospital. His name was Gopinath and he came to Jacob with a puzzled look on his face.

"Sir, I want to tell you something."

Jacob nodded.

"Sir when the doctors checked the belongings of this man, there was a purse containing several credit cards and One thousand two hundred rupees in cash. There was also a small leather pouch with his visiting cards, a small packet containing some gem stones, a big perfumed hand kerchief, and a Parker pen."

"So?"

"But Sir there was no cell phone."

Jacob and Chellappa exchanged glances.

"It Could be in the car." Chellappa said.

"No Sir! I checked. The policemen who were there confirmed that neither the cell phone nor the car keys were found. Both are missing."

"Thanks   Gopinath! Your information is really vital." Jacob said politely.

                                      ************************

The name of the deceased man was Radhey Shyam. He was a very successful businessman and investor mainly dealing in fancy items, artificial jewelry and precious stones. He was the senior partner of a firm called Rashmi Enterprises. He lived in a sprawling bungalow in the northern part of the city called Anna Nagar, with his wife Sarita and daughter Rashmi, on whose name the firm was formed.

Radhey Shyam was on business trips almost twenty days a month. He used to travel by car, whenever his work took him to some place near the city. He drove himself and seldom used a driver except when he had to be dropped at the airport, bus stop, or railway station. Muthu was specifically recruited to drive either Sarita or Rashmi. The family owned a fleet of cars of various makes and Radhey Shyam drove all of them. The Maruthi Zen was taken by him that fateful evening because first the tank was full and secondly, he had to make a short and fast trip.

Radhey shyam, as Jacob would learn later, never ever discussed his business or his movements with any one including his own wife and daughter. This was the first load of information that Jacob collected by evening of the day when the body was found.

                                      ****************************  

Radhey Shyam had fantastic contacts with the local politicians and big wigs. Jacob informed his immediate superior ACP Dhananjayan about the incident. He also told him what he suspected and that he would be interested in investigating the case. Mr Dhananjayan knew Jacob well.

"Playing the super sleuth as usual" He quipped.

"Yes Sir." Jacob said.

"Okay! Go ahead! "

"Thank you Sir!"

"You need someone to assist you?"

"Sir, I have Inspector Chellappa who was the first person on the site."

"Good! As the deceased belongs to Anna Nagar it comes under the jurisdiction of that circle too. I shall inform them to extend you all possible help."

"Thank you very much Sir."

Jacob saluted and left. Within half an hour he got the call from the Anna Nagar in charge. Jacob gave him some instructions

"Please post as many persons as possible both men and women in civil dress near the bungalow. They should blend with the crowd, and if necessary, pose as mourners. I shall be there too."

"Okay!”

                                      ***************************  

Jacob had learnt that Radhey Shyam was a big man. But how big, he came to know only when he reached the bungalow. He and Chellappa had gone there dressed in white shirt and light colored pants. Jacob had wanted to pose as a press reporter but Chellappa's build and tough guy appearance gave him second thoughts. Chellappa looked more like a local don than a press photographer. There was a huge crowd out side the house. A long queue waited outside the bungalow to pay the last respects to the departed soul. Radheshyam’s body was kept in the hall.

A small group of children led by an elderly man came near the gate. The watch man saw them and asked the people to make way for them. The group went inside. In a moment there was a wailing sound from the hall. This intrigued Jacob and he looked at Chellappa.

"Wonder who these kids are." Chellappa mused aloud. Some people turned back to look at him.

"They are from the ashram." One man said.

"Aiyya was a great man. He ran the orphanage." Another man ventured.

Chellappa nodded.

Jacob moved away from and Chellappa stood behind the last man in the queue. From his vantage point, Jacob studied the crowd. What he saw intrigued him.

                                      *******************************

Radhey Shaym was a north Indian. But the crowd of mourners consisted mostly of south Indians. At first thought, it did not look any thing special. There are cases where a person has more friends outside his family or community than within. But as it was a crime case Jacob filed away this observation at the back of his mind. 

Chellappa's turn came too. Using a large kerchief to pretend that he was mopping his perspiring face, Chellappa entered the room. The body, draped in a white cloth, was lying in state in a glass coffin in the center of the hall. People were going near the coffin, paying their respects, placing flowers or wreaths, and going out of the hall through a side door. Some were weeping softly and some touched the coffin, as a mark of respect for the departed soul. The woman and the girl he had seen in the morning were sitting on the other side near the head of the coffin. Every one was saluting them while going out. Some women even touched the girl and the woman to console them.

Chellappa paid his respects and moved away fast.

***********************                                            

There was a huge crowd in the funeral procession. Jacob would learn later that several shops and establishments in the area remained closed as a mark of respect for the departed soul. Local politicians placed huge wreaths on the body and local news papers published full length features complete with photographs about the great man. It also formed part of the TV news that day.

It was reported that RadheyShayam belonged to a business family in north, and had come to Chennai twenty years back. He had fallen in love with the city and its people and had decided to make it his home. His wife Sarita and daughter Rashmi were wonderful people. Radhey Shayam had taken pains to learn the language here and people loved to hear his accented Tamil. His daughter Rashmi was born and brought up in Chennai and spoke the language fluently. She was studying in a local college and had a lot of friends. Sarita, it was reported was a highly religious lady and loved to go to temples, make donations and give alms.

At 6.30 PM RadheyShayam's mortal remains were consigned to the flames amidst wails and slogans.

Next day Jacob sat on his desk with a heap of previous day’s news papers. Due to his exposure and his wide experience, Jacob could not only speak, but also read and write Hindi. As he went through the reports, he smiled inwardly at his own apt observation. The Tamil newspapers had the Radheyshyam item in the front pages, under bold head lines. The articles were emotionally charged and short of terming the dead man some sort of a demigod, they had praised him and his family sky high.

'His sudden demise is a great loss to the city and many poor people who had benefited from his generosity and large heartedness would feel orphaned.' The reporter had declared. There were photographs of the great man, and opinions from local leaders.

Even the Tamil news channels did not stay behind in reporting the matter in, as colorful a way as possible.

On the contrary, the same news made it only to the third page of the Hindi newspapers and that too as a small item on one corner. The reporter had been matter of fact, and had added a subtle hint that Mr Radhey Shyam found more comfort in the company of local bigwigs, than in interacting with people of his own community.        

As per Jacob’s request, the suspicion that it was a murder case was not leaked to the press. The police maintained that it was an accident.

                                      ******************************

 Chellappa had reported that, where as some girls including   Rashmi were weeping copiously, Sarita just sat there with a blank expression on her face.

 'Probably numb with shock.' Chellappa opined.

He had also observed that a young man who looked like a north Indian, and a young girl probably in her early twenties, were near the mother and daughter and that they seemed to be quite close to the family.

The finger print and other experts went through the car with a fine toothed comb. Every inch was examined and finger prints dusted. The dash board had the usual car papers and a copy of Radhey Shyam’s   license. Almost all finger prints matched with that of Radhey Shyam and his driver.

                                      *************************

The doctor had said that the victim had died at least three hours before the accident was reported. That meant that Radheyshyam died at around 1.30 AM the previous night. Going by what the driver Muthu said, Radheyshyam had gone to Mahabalipuram. So the possibility was that the death occurred there.

And the person who had reported the accident, who ever he was, had driven the car with the body in it, to the place where he had dumped it. Jacob began thinking in that angle. It was a rainy night. There would not have been much traffic during that period, except the occasional trucks and buses. A Maruthi Zen would have been a rare vehicle at that hour in that route. Jacob contacted the check post.

From them, Jacob learnt that the Zen had passed through the check post and the driver had opened the window and paid the toll tax. There was nothing unusual about it and Jacob was slightly disappointed when he learnt that cars frequently passed through that route at that hour, carrying tourists, or party goers. Jacob met the staff which was on duty that fateful night, and requested them to give him any tip regarding the car and the occupants, that would help Jacob. Then he returned to the city.

                                      ************************   

 The offices of Rashmi enterprises were situated in a commercial complex    a kilometer from Radheyshyam’s house. The company owned the complete first floor. The name of the young man, who Chellappa had seen that day in Radheyshyam’s house, was Mayank Kumar. He was the manager of the company, and the young girl who had accompanied him, was Ragini, Radheyshyam’s secretary cum receptionist.

Jacob called Mayank the next day and told him that he was needed at the police station to sign papers for the release of the Maruti Zen. Mayank was in his late twenties, thin, attractive and well dressed. The man was polite and decent. Jacob took him to the garage where the car was kept. As it was in the name of the company, Mayank signed some papers as authorized signatory. The car was junk any way. Later Jacob took him back to his cabin.

“Mr. Mayank, how long have you been in this company?”

“I joined three years back Sir.”

“What is the main line of business for your company?”

“We deal in artificial jewellery, gems and precious stones.”

“Mr.Mayank please tell me something about your employer, late

Mr Radheyshyam.”

“I met him in Bangalore, where I had gone to put a stall in an exhibition. Mr Radheyshyam had visited my stall and examined the wares. I am a good salesman. Mr . Radheyshyam saw me talk to the customers and then on the day the exhibition concluded, he came to me. He told me that he was on the look out for someone who could manage his business in Chennai, as he was on tour most of the time. The offer he made was indeed lucrative, a handsome salary, free accommodation, and a percentage in the profits. I accepted the offer and joined the company. ”

“Mr. Radheyshyam was on tour for at least two weeks in a month. Even when he was in the city he seldom came to the office. We usually talked on the phone. He was doing a lot of charity and he would either be meeting some political bigwig or making the rounds of orphanages, or schools or hospitals that he ran or donated to.”

“Quite a high profile man” Jacob mused aloud.

“Sir ” Mayank smiled feebly “ On the contrary, he was a man who shunned the lime light.”

“Oh!  Really”

“Yes Sir. Mr Radheyshyam was a very humble person. He would send his wife and his daughter to cultural functions but would seldom attend them himself. He was so handsome and well groomed, but he always tried to hug the background.”

Jacob nodded slowly. “Tell me Mr. Mayank where did Mr. Radheyshyam go on his frequent business trips?”

“All the states in south, sometimes to Mumbai or   Kolkata”

“How is the business?”

“It is running very well Sir! We get good orders from big parties. And because Mr. Radheyshyam spent a lot of it on charity, it is growing at a steady pace thanks to the best wishes of people.”

“Hm! Mr. Mayank you are from North?”

“Yes Sir! I am from Kota, Rajasthan.” 

“and Mr. Radheyshyam?”

“ he is from Gwalior Sir.”

“Madhya Pradesh?” Jacob asked.

“Yes Sir.”

“Thanks  Mr. Mayank for your co- operation.” Jacob shook his hand. “Can I disturb you in case I need your help?”

“Certainly Sir” Mayank said.

                                      ************************

As soon as Mayank left, Jacob sent a copy of Radheyshyam’s finger prints to the main police station at Gwalior, with a request to check it with their records and see whether they matched with any one. Then he busied himself with his routine work. The reply from Gwalior came after twelve hours. Though Jacob suspected it, the report made him wince and smile at the same time. 

The Gwalior police informed that the set of prints matched with that of a notorious gangster called Omi Chikna who was killed in a gangland hit twenty years ago.

‘Thank god for small mercies’ Jacob thought. ‘Chellappa deserved a pat on the back. This was indeed a complex case.’

                                                ***************

 Kailashnath belonged to a small village near Jabalpur. One of a brood of five children of a farm laborer, he had gone through all the deprivations, and frustrations that a poor rustic child experiences in the villages of India.  He dropped out of school at the age of twelve and came to the town looking for a job. After a short struggle, he landed one, as a helper in a grocery shop. Compared, to the endless hungry days and nights that were his lot in the village, this opening seemed like a paradise to him.  Kailashnath worked hard and within a few years became a favorite of the owner Radheyshyam. When he was twenty, Kailashnath got married to a girl from his own village. Her name was Bhagwanthi.

Kailashnath’s luck picked up after the wedding. Radheyshyam got him a cycle cart. Kailashnath would load fruits and vegetables from his village every morning, and bring it to the city where Radheyshyam would purchase it from him and sell it in the retail market. Kailashnath would in turn, load his cart with grocery items and ride back to his village, and to the nearby villages and sell them at a good price. A few years after this routine grind, Kailashnath was earning a respectable income from this business.

By prudently investing his earnings, Kailashnath grew richer and richer and within a span of twenty years, he was  the owner of half a dozen cycle carts, one shop in the village, and one in the town, and a couple of acres of land where he grew the vegetables and fruits that he sold in the town. He gave jobs to his family members, relatives and several young men in the village as cart drivers, farm laborers and shop salesmen. Kailashnath also built a spacious independent house in the village, for his residence.   

                                      ********************************

But In spite of their improved financial status, Kailashnath and Bhagwanthi were deprived of the joys of parenthood. This hurt the wife more than the husband. She was the one to bear the brunt of snide remarks from relatives and neighbors. Bhagwanthi would weep and complain, and Kailashnath would try to calm her down, but the fact remained that Kailashnath was not able to father a child who would enjoy the fruits of his labor.       

When Kailashnath was forty years old, Radheyshyam died. Kailashnath was distraught.  Radheyshyam was a father figure for him and Kailsahnath could not imagine life without his nice and kind old employer. For weeks Kailashnath wandered about the village like a mad man.

And then it happened. Bhagwanthi conceived and gave birth to an exceptionally beautiful male child. Believing, that his mentor had incarnated as his son, Kailashnath christened the child as Radheyshyam.

How ever due to respect and reverence for his ex- employer, Kailashnath gave the child another name – Omkarnath.

“How can I, call my son by the name of the person, who is god to me? “ Kailashnath reasoned.

With the arrival of his son, Kailashnath got even more prosperous. He purchased a small delivery van, and converted it into a shop on wheels.  This van used to tour the villages and towns and sell all house hold items. It turned out to be a fantastic idea, and within years, Kailashnath had a couple of more such delivery vans.  

                                                **********************

As his father enjoyed a Godfather like status, Omkar grew up being pampered and spoilt silly by his doting mother, and the villagers. Omkar had every thing going in his favor. Light skinned, with wavy long hair, an oval face, big languorous eyes and regular pleasing features, He was the most beautiful child in the locality. Besides that he was a precocious kid of above average intelligence.

When he reached the age of four, Damayanthi got him admitted to a near by school. Even here Omkar was the star attraction. He had an amazing focus towards what ever he did, and he was among the best students in the class. He studied well, had his share of sports activities, and was a favorite with the boys, not because of his talent in sports, but because he was very generous with his toys which he gladly lent to the other not so fortunate kids. The children vied with each other to be close to him.

As he grew up, Omkar realized that he had the inborn qualities of leadership. He was intelligent, tactful, and had the magnetism to attract the other boys. Business acumen came naturally to him. Above all, he had a special fondness for jewelry, and items which looked shiny and beautiful.

At the age of twelve, with the considerable pocket money that he received from his mother, he started a small money lending business in the school. First he indulged the kids with sweetmeats and savories that were sold outside the school compound, and then when the children got used to it he started doling out small sums to them to buy their favorite eatables. The loan was interest free, and the kids were enamored by Omkar’s generosity.

                                      **************************

Once he realized that the guys were in the bag, Omkar began extracting his pound of flesh. He made the kids run errands for him while he sat in one corner and regulated the activities. Kids were ready to do his bidding and Omkar made the best of it. After they were totally under his spell, Omkar made his first move towards his game plan.

He carefully selected four boys who were more daring than the others, and told them to raid the fancy stores, in the large market a couple of kilometers from their village. On weekends the boys would go there on the pretext of seeing the wares or buying them and then pick some of the items and vanish. Omkar would receive them from the guys and pay them in cash at a price fixed by Omkar. Every one was happy. Omkar had his collection of fake jewelry and the boys had their money. The kids worked with such professional meticulousness that, by the time, their parents and the public realized what they were up to, the boys were already in their mid teens.

One evening, as usual, when the boys were on the job in a store, a salesman spotted them and tipped off the owner. Caution signs and messages were exchanged, and when the four boys tried to check out of the store, with their pockets bulging, they were nabbed. There was a big hue and cry and the public joined the staff of the shop to administer a sound thrashing to the four guys. They were taken to the police station and grilled. But by prior agreement, the kids did not divulge Omkar’s name.

                                      *****************************

Though the boys saved him from the law, Omkar could not escape Kailsahnath’s suspicious glare. Being doting parents, Kailashnath and Bhagwanthi, had looked on helplessly as their only child was going wayward. They loved him too much, and this prevented them from chastising him. They tried to caution him indirectly, but the boy did not bother to listen. His greed for glamour, and quick money was too much to be controlled. Kailashnath knew that, given the chance, Omkar would not hesitate to sell the same fancy items at a far higher price, as genuine jewelry.

The four boys were let out a fortnight later. Omkar discreetly avoided them They had been branded as thieves in the village, and so any one who had an interaction with them, was looked at with suspicion. Omkar limited himself to his studies and helped his father in the business during spare time.

Years of hard work, and Omkar’s capers began taking their toll on Kalashnath. One evening he complained of a severe headache. He was in his shop at Jabalpur. The staff took him to the doctor who examined him, gave him some medicines, and advised complete rest. Kailashnath, came home, took the medicines, had his supper and went to bed, never to wake up again.

Omkar was Twenty One.

*************

Now Jacob had something to chew on. So, Radheyshyam was a shady character. That explained why he shunned the company of north Indians. He feared that some day some one may recognize him. He was safe in a city which was totally new to him and where the people would neither know nor care to know about his past. Mayank had told him that Radhey Shyam usually toured only the four southern states.

It was now quite evident that this was a murder case and that the killer or killers had planned every move perfectly. They had to be extremely clever to have successfully trapped a criminal like Radhey Shyam. Everything pointed towards a revenge killing probably in retaliation to some double cross.

The three root causes for any animosity are land, money and women. In this case Jacob chose the second one to begin his investigation. Radhey Shyam had been a gangster and so it could be the more likely cause for his death. Some of the answers lay in Mahabalipuram.

Jacob went about his work in the old fashioned plodding manner. He took one of the news papers into confidence and got several copies of Radhey Shyam’s mug shot that they had published with his obituary. He then distributed it among the police men and asked them to scour through every hotel, motel and eating place in Mahabalipuram to find out if any one recognized the face.                                  

Then he shifted his gaze towards something nearer home. Years of working as an investigator had taught Jacob to take up more than one lead to solve any complicated problem. The Gwalior police had informed that Omi Chikna ie Radhey Shyam had died twenty years ago. Radhey Shyam’s daughter was eighteen. That could mean that his marriage to Sarita was around twenty years old. There were two possibilities. Either, Sarita did not know any thing about Radhey Shyam’s past or she was a co- conspirator in her late husband’s activities. The two had staged the killing of the gangster Omi Chikna, and eloped with the loot. Jacob chose to believe the other story. More so because of the way she reacted at the wake. She seemed more stoic than shocked.

                                      ***************************

Four days after the police began the rounds at Mahabalipuram, Jacob got a call from one of the constables that they had a lead. Jacob rushed to the spot. It was a motel situated in the outskirts of Mahabalipuram, on the way to Pondicherry. The manager of the motel, a young man called Balaji had recognized the face.

Balaji told Jacob that the man in the picture had come to the hotel to meet a man who was staying in room number 108. Balaji showed the register in which the names and addresses of the boarders were registered. Though Jacob was positive that the entry was totally fake nevertheless he jotted it own.

Lalit Kumar, 43/49, Bara Mohalla, Near Government Hospital, Itarsi, M.P.

And then Jacob saw the date and stiffened. It was the day before Jacob found Radhey Shyam’s body in the ditch. This man, who called himself Lalit Kumar, had checked in at ten in the morning.

“What time did this man come here?” Jacob asked pointing at Radhey Shyam’s Photograph.

“Evening Sir, around 7PM” Balaji replied.

“And when did he go back?”

“around half an hour later Sir. Both went together in this man’s car.”

“Can you describe this Lalit Kumar?”

“Yes Sir! He was a north Indian. Medium height, medium build, fair skinned, neatly dressed, around forty years of age.”

“Anything else you can tell about him?”

“Yes Sir. This was the first time he came to our motel. I mean he is not a regular guest. He returned alone and checked out the same day at 10 PM”

“Anything else”

Balaji thought for a moment. Then he called Babu the waiter. Babu was a veteran of around fifty years of age who looked like he had been waiting on people for donkey’s years. He was a small man with a ‘Fed up to the neck’ look.

“Babu” Balaji said “Inspector Sir would like to talk to you.” Then he turned towards Jacob. “Sir he is our senior most waiter. He attended to Room No 108.”

What the bored looking Babu said made more sense than the dope from Balaji. Babu said that Lalit Kumar was talking continuously on his cell phone. Over the years Babu had picked up a smattering of various languages including hindi, and from Lalit’s monologue, he could make out that  he was waiting to hand over some important parcel to the person on the other side. He also said that the parcel would arrive in the evening.

“Could you hear the voice from the other end?” Jacob asked.

“I could not hear what our man was saying but just once when I was a few paces from the guest, I heard the voice. It was very gruff and virile, more like a growl. Our man was very respectful towards the one on the other side of the line.”

Jacob nodded thoughtfully. He knew that parcel meant “RadheyShyam” And that this man who called himself Lalit Kumar was instrumental in handing him over to the “Growl” who could be the killer.

                                                *********************

The whole village turned up for the funeral. Kailashnath had been a benefactor and Philanthropist and every one missed him. Omkar took charge of his father’s business, and developed it. He was an astute business man and he knew how to make money. Slowly, he began diversifying into his favorite line- fancy goods. He sold the delivery vans, the shop in the village, the land that Kailashnath used for growing fruits and vegetables, and shifted to Jabalpur with his mother Bhagwanthi. The village house was also sold to a wealthy business man. With the proceeds of the sale, Omkar purchased a big flat in Jabalpur.

He then converted the Jabalpur shop into a showroom. After managing it for six months, Omkar put a man in charge of the shop and began touring nearby by towns for business.

No one could have imagined that Omkar was using this business as a front for his main profession as a receiver of stolen goods. So devilishly intelligent was he that even at such a young age, he had already made contacts with professional robbers, and burglars and was purchasing stolen jewelry from them and selling them off at lucrative prices, after reshaping them to change their identity. Not only that, he was also the brain behind several such burglaries. Due to his extraordinary IQ, the gangsters came to him to plan the robberies, which they would then execute verbatim.

When Omkar was twenty four, Bhagwanthi who had been mourning the loss of her husband, fell ill and became bed ridden. Omkar employed a female nurse to serve his mother. He was genuinely fond of her and wanted to show that he cared. But all the treatment, medicines and diet were of no avail. Bhagwanthi’s health continued to fail and one month after she took to the bed, Bhagwanthi passed away.

With both his parents gone, Omkar was free to do what he wanted. He sold the shop and the flat in Jabalpur and relocated to Gwalior for good.

                                      ********************

Jacob called Chellappa and gave him the necessary instructions. Then he called Mayank to his office.

“Do you know some one called Lalit Kumar?” Jacob came straight to the point.

“Yes. He contacted us a month ago. He is a gem dealer from Mumbai.”

“Gem dealer?”

“Yes Sir? He said that he had received an order for export of gems and as he was not so big in the line he wanted to get into a joint venture with us.”

“Have you seen him?”

“He never came to the office. I have talked to him on phone. Mr Radhey Shyam met him a couple of times in Mumbai.”

“As you have talked to him on phone, can you tell me something about his voice or something that you could judge about the man?”

“He is very polite and soft spoken. But he is also very businesslike and in spite of several conversations that I have had with him, he has never gone beyond the formal greetings.”

Jacob smiled slightly.

“Mr. Mayank! You are an intelligent young man. Now listen carefully. I doubt that Mr. Lalit Kumar would ever call you again. But you never know. In case he does, can you record the conversation?”

“Sure Sir.”

“Thanks. And keep this absolutely confidential.”

“Certainly Sir! ” Mayank said and left.

****************************

Kairy, Bankey, Gopa, and Kanju were professional burglars. They were based in various locations in and around Gwalior, and had been Omkar’s regular associates and clients. Omkar had planned a couple of very successful heists for them and had disposed off the stolen property too. Every one had prospered and the foursome looked up to Omkar for guidance. When they came to know that he had settled down in Gwalior, they were delighted.                   

Omkar had grown up into an exceptionally handsome man. He always kept himself well groomed. The foursome learnt dress sense from him and that helped them maintain a respectable façade in the society. Without making things explicit, Omkar took over the leadership of the gang. Being the most intelligent and educated in the gang, his word soon became law. It was his suggestion that they should all lead separate lives and should not recognize each other in public. None should interfere in the privacy of the other. They had to meet only when they had a job to execute. And Omkar was the one to choose the meeting place. There, they would plan the heist, over drinks and dinner and then the four carry out the plan while Omkar arranged for disposing off the loot. They all lived in different localities and that helped in implementing this code of conduct.

Omkar was already a wealthy guy when he landed in Gwalior. He had his own business card printed, and he introduced himself as a dealer in fancy goods and artificial jewelry. Within the gang he was “Omi Chikna” ie “Omi the looker”. To the society he was Omkar Kailashnath. It wasn’t difficult for him to rent an apartment in the heart of the city. He employed a fulltime maid who did the cooking, washing and cleaning. In spite of his beauty, Omkar was sober, businesslike and shunned female company. This image was carefully cultivated by him to keep away from inquisitive and indiscreet neighbors. None had any inkling of the other side of the young man who was so good looking and polite.

                                      **************************

Meanwhile, Chellappa accosted Muthu, the driver in Radhey Shyam’s house hold. Thoughtfully Chellappa had called the guy to the service center where Muthu used to get his cars repaired. Chellappa was in civil dress, but because of his build and his demeanor any one could have known that he was a cop. So Chellappa brought his own car there on the pretext of getting it serviced. As the mechanics took charge of his car, he took Muthu to a side.

“How are things?” Chellappa began the conversation.

“Fine Sir, my work has increased now.” Muthu said politely.

“Is it?”

“Yes Sir. Previously I was just a driver, but now I have to do other errands too.”

“What sort of errands?”

“Ayya’s tenth day and thirteenth day ceremonies are approaching. So I have to do all the running around to make arrangements, purchase groceries and the like.”  

“Tell me Muthu how long have you been with them?”

“I have been with them from my childhood Sir. I am an orphan. I was brought up in the orphanage that Ayya runs. My father died when I was ten years old, and my mother married another man. That man had me admitted in the Orphanage. Later when I grew up, Ayya brought me to his house, and I became their domestic servant. He had me educated and then sent me to a driving school. Thus I became a driver in the household.”

“So you are like a member of the family.”

“Yes Sir.”

Chellappa nodded thoughtfully.

“Tell me about every one in the family Muthu.”

“Sir, every one in the family is very good to me. Ayya was always busy and went on tour often. Amma is a very religious person and she mostly goes to temples, and does a lot of charity. When ever Amma or Rashmi papa goes some where, I drive the car.”

“Now think carefully and answer my question Muthu.” Chellappa said. “In the past few months, did any thing happen in the house hold or around you that was different from what you had been experiencing all these years?”

*************************

Muthu stood staring at the ground for a few moments. When he looked up, Chellappa frowned. Muthu’s eyes were moist.

“Yes Sir!” He said in a choked voice. “Amma suddenly changed after meeting that man in the temple.”

Chellappa stiffened slightly “Which man?”

 “A few months ago, I don’t remember the date, I and Amma went to the big Shiva temple in Thiruvottrivoor. Amma used to go there at least once a month. That day too as usual we had gone to do charity. I parked the car and Amma stepped out. She began walking towards the temple. Mean while I was opening the boot to take out the bundles of clothes that were to be distributed to the beggars there. Suddenly one man came and called Amma by her first name. She stopped, looked at the man, ejaculated and then said

“Bhaiyya!” Then she went and touched his feet.

“Wait!”  Chellappa said “Tell me what he looked like”

“Sir he was a very tall and well built man. Just like you Sir. And he looked like a north Indian.”

“How old was he?”

“He must be around fifty or fifty five. He looked like a retired Police officer.”

“What?” Chellappa smiled.

“Yes Sir. He looked like a cop. He had that type of short hair, a clipped moustache and a very deep and gravelly voice.”

Chellappa hid his excitement. Jacob had mentioned about the “growl”.

“Hm then?”

“Then the two looked at each other. And the man said something to her and pointed at a direction. Probably he said that he was staying there. Then Amma asked him to wait, called me and we two went to the temple. The man kept standing there. Usually Amma used to stay a long time in the temple and supervise the distribution of the clothes and eatables. But on that day she went straight to the office, asked me to place the clothes there, gave a bundle of notes to the office manager, requested him to distribute the things and came out with me. Then she went to the man and they both sat in the car. Amma asked me to drive to a park that is near the temple. It has a lot of trees with benches under them. Amma asked me to wait in the car and the two went inside the park and sat in a corner. After a few moments the conversation became more and more animated. I could not hear any thing but I saw that Amma had suddenly taken the corner of her Sari and placed it on her mouth. The man was evidently excited and angry and I was very scared for Amma. I looked around for help but it was dusk and there weren’t many people around. The man’s voice was getting louder and thicker but yet as he was talking very fast in Hindi, I could not understand any thing. Suddenly Amma got up, hugged the man who was still sitting and then came running towards the car. She was very upset and when she came near me I saw that her face was as red as a tomato. She simply got into the car, and asked me to take her home. As I went towards the car I saw that the man was sitting on the bench and sobbing uncontrollably.”

                                      **************************

Muthu stopped for a moment. Chellappa waited patiently.

“When we reached home, Amma ran into the pooja room and shut the door. When she came out an hour later, her face was swollen, and she looked totally spent and distressed. It looked like she had been weeping bitterly.”

“Where was Ayya?”

“He was on tour.”      

“Then what happened?”

“From then on Amma changed completely. She became a Zombie.”

“Did the man meet her again?”

“Amma stopped going out. She began spending more and more time in the pooja room. For the past few months, I have been taking the clothes, money and things like that to the temples. A couple of times Rashmi Papa also came with me.”

“How was Amma’s relationship with Ayya?”

“Amma and Ayya are both taciturn by nature. But I could make out that after the incident the relation ship had cooled down even further.”

“Hm! Muthu you have been quite helpful. Don’t let any one know that we met.”

  “Yes Sir.”

Chellappa waited till Muthu went away and then he called Jacob

“I have a ton of information for you.” He said. “I want to meet you immediately.”

                                      ************************

Jacob sat poker faced. Chellappa had just briefed him about whatever Muthu told him.

“So, my intuition was correct.” He said at last. “This guy had made enemies in two different fields.”

“Now that we know that the killer is somehow connected with the family, shall we---“

“Question the lady?”

“Yes!”

Jacob shook his head in negative. “No Chellappa. It would be very unwise and foolhardy. From what Muthu has told you, it looks that the man who we suspect as the killer, was not a bad guy. Further he should have been quite close to the woman, for her to address him as her elder brother. And lastly, for all you know, the woman is either accepting our version that Radhey Shyam indeed died in an accident, or she may even suspect that it was a very well planned execution, and we are not aware of it. In both cases, if we go and question her, it may make her shrink further into a shell, and she may even tip off the killer. That would make things more difficult for us. We have to move in very carefully.”

“You mean through the Lalit Kumar angle?”

“That line is dead. Lalit Kumar would have vanished in thin air. His job is over and he will never ever contact Mayank. I told you, these guys must have carried out the job with extraordinary precision and tact.”

The two sat quietly for some time. Jacob was thinking hard. After fifteen minutes, Jacob put a call to the Gwalior police station.

“Hello! Good evening, I am Jacob, from the Chennai Pallavakkam police station. It was I who asked you about the finger print. Can I talk to the in charge of the police station where this Omi Chikna’s case was registered? Yes Just a minute—”

Jacob Gestured to Chellappa to take a paper and pencil.

 “Yes please.”

 Jacob spelt the phone number aloud and Chellappa jotted it down.

 “Thank you Sir.” Jacob ended the call and then called on the number that Chellappa had jotted down.

“Hello, Inspector Puran Singh?”

Jacob talked to the man for a couple of moments about the Omi Chikna case. Then he casually asked him whether he knew some one answering the description of the growl. What he heard made Jacob sit up bolt upright. Chellappa frowned.

“Mr. Puran Singh, just don’t do any thing. I would like to meet the man personally. I shall come over there. Thanks. Bye.” Jacob put the receiver down.

                                      ************************

Jacob and Chellappa were on the train to Gwalior that evening. In the meant time, Jacob had given the necessary instructions to Inspector Puran Singh. 

It was around 4 PM, when the jeep, entered the Gwalior police station. Jacob and Chellappa got down and walked through the main door, acknowledging the salutes of the constables. Inspector Puran Singh received them in his cabin. After the pleasantries were over, Puran Singh ordered tea and snacks.

“Our guy will be here any moment. ” Puran Singh said.

“Thanks inspector.” Jacob said.

“I am sorry I could not still make out, what exactly is the matter.” Puran Singh said. He was genuinely puzzled.

 “Inspector it all depends on what our friend has to say now. Till then I shall reserve my opinion. But I can assure you that if my judgment is right, this could be one of the most interesting and complicated cases you would have ever come across.”

“Oh Really!”

 “I hope so.”

There was a murmur outside the cabin and after a moment, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in” Puran Singh said.

  The door opened and a man came in smiling. He looked at Puran Singh and then at Jacob and Chellappa. Instinctively he stiffened and stood rooted to the ground. His face tightened and his eyes dilated. Jacob and Chellappa looked at him.

He was around five foot ten inches tall, approximately fifty years of age and built like an aging commando. He had a long, extremely virile face and a clipped moustache. His was wheatish in complexion and had a dignified and respectable air about him. The man was dressed in a white shirt and dark pants.

‘Every inch a soldier’ Jacob thought.

                                      ************************

“Hello Mr. Dinesh. Please sit down.” Puran Singh said softly.

The man, who Puran Singh addressed as Dinesh, walked stiffly and sat down on a chair facing the three Police Officers. Puran Singh pushed a glass of water towards him. The man grabbed the glass, and drained it to the last drop. Puran Singh then introduced him to Jacob and Chellappa as police officers from Chennai. Dinesh nodded at the two and then shook hands.

Jacob found his grip quite manly. He marveled at the man’s self control. It was evident that Dinesh knew the purpose of their visit. Yet he did not drop his guard a bit. The silence in the room for the next few moments was deafening. Jacob broke it.

“Mr Dinesh we came here in connection with a murder case.”

“Culpable homicide” Dinesh corrected him.

Chellappa winced. The voice as Muthu had mentioned was, deep and gravelly.

Jacob smiled broadly. “Oh! Yes! I am sorry.”

“You came to arrest me?” Dinesh was disarmingly matter of fact.

“Depends, on what you have to say.” Jacob replied politely.

Dinesh looked at the floor for a couple of moments.

“I am not sorry that Radhey Shyam died.” He said in a low voice which sounded like a growl. “On the contrary I am glad that I was his nemesis. Yet whether you believe it or not, I never intended to kill him. I can prove it. If I had thought of doing so, I would have first smashed his cruel and handsome face.” Dinesh paused.

 Jacob and Puran singh looked at each other. Chellappa stared at the ground.

“You have been so kind to me. Inspector Saab—“ Dinesh looked at Puran Singh “ You could have simply dragged me down to the station with handcuffs on. If you permit me I shall give you the complete story. It may look like a tall tale spun out by me, hence I swear on my family, my wife and my children that what I am going to tell you now is the truth, the absolute truth and nothing but the truth.”

Puran Singh looked at Jacob. Jacob nodded.

                                                *********************

“My name is Dinesh Kumar. I am  an ex army man. I retired from the Border Security Force, and now a days I work as a driver in a transport company. I drive my own truck which I purchased from the Army quota. I am saying this just to give a back ground about me.”  

(Dinesh had a younger brother. His name was Naresh Kumar. Naresh too wanted to join the forces, but he was too soft and mild for the job. Yet Dinesh never discouraged him because Naresh had the noble intention of serving his mother land. He was a nice hard working young man. Even whIle appearing for the competitive exams, he was working as a salesman in a jewelry shop.

Those days Dinesh was posted on the Rajasthan Border, and was busy trying to prevent the infiltration and smuggling that was rampant in that area. He used to get correspondence from his home only once a week. It was only when something was very urgent, did he receive phone calls.

On day Dinesh got a message on his walkie talkie that he should call his family as soon as possible. The message unnerved him, because he was the eldest son in the family and he feared the worst. It was late evening when he reached the check post and put a call to my family. He heaved a sigh of relief when his father answered the call. Dinesh asked him if every thing was alright. His father soothed his frayed nerves and then said softly that Naresh was not well.

 Dinesh took a deep breath and asked his father to be more clear about the information. By now he could feel butterflies in his stomach. In a sobbing voice his father broke the news that said that Dinesh’s kid brother Naresh was no more.)

                                      *************************

After saying this Dinesh paused. He then wiped his moist eyes. The atmosphere in the room in the police station turned gloomy. Jacob and Chellappa stared at the ground. A moment later Dinesh resumed his monologue.

(At the time of Naresh’s death Dinesh was thirty years old, a commando and unlike his younger brother, a tough no nonsense guy. The news of his brother’s sudden demise stunned him. His father had said that Naresh suddenly passed away after a short illness.

Dinesh could not make it to the funeral as there was a lot of tension in the border and he could not get leave. He shed copious tears in memory of his brother and waited for an opportunity to reach home and console his distraught parents. But by the time he could make it, they had already relocated to their village.

When he came to know about the whole matter, Dinesh was very puzzled and upset. His father said that Naresh had been arrested as a suspect in a robbery at the jewelry shop where he worked, and that the boy died of a brain hemorrhage immediately after. Dinesh could not believe this. He could not imagine that his younger brother could in any way be connected to criminals. His sorrow turned into suspicion which grew into a bitter impotent rage. Impotent because the damage had already been done, and besides he did not have the time or the resources to go to the root of the whole problem. After sulking and cussing for a few days, he finally calmed down and went back to his post. Whenever he got spare time, he pondered over the matter. He decided not to rest till he had solved the mystery surrounding Naresh’s death.)

                                      ************************

(Dinesh retired at the age of forty five. By then his parents were dead and he was a grandfather himself. His only child, a daughter had married an engineer and was settled in Ahmedabad. Dinesh sold away the property that he inherited, and settled down in Gwalior.

He had a reasonable pension, and he also availed the opportunity to purchase an army truck which he attached to a transport company and began driving it himself. His wife divided her time between Gwalior and Ahmedabad. Now it was time for him to start his investigation.

With his army background it was easy for Dinesh to interact with the police department. He contacted the Inspector who was in charge of the police station where the FIR of the burglary was lodged several years back. The name of the inspector was Puran Singh. He listened to Dinesh’s story patiently.

“If some one had blamed me of such a crime, I would have understood.” Dinesh told the officer in a voice choked with emotion. “I am a tough guy and could have loved the action. But my brother------” Dinesh  could not speak further.

Puran Singh handed him a glass of water and ordered tea.

“My brother was the softest person one could come across. Yes, he too wanted to join the forces but that was because he wanted to serve the country. He wanted my parents to be proud of him. And see what happened to him.” Dinesh wiped his eyes.

 Puran Singh called for the case file and studied the FIR and the notes. Then he told Dinesh that the case was solved. He also told Dinesh that one Mr. Naresh had been held for questioning but that the man had died of shock in a clinic within hours of being held. Dinesh told Puran that Naresh was his brother.

 “Three men were arrested but the loot could not be recovered.” Puran Singh told him. “The accused guys claimed that the loot was with a fourth member, who according to police records was already dead. These three got ten years a piece.”

Dinesh made a quick calculation and found that the convicts would have come out of prison by then. He requested Puran to arrange for a meeting with at least one of them. Puran Singh agreed.)

                                                ********************

 (A week later Dinesh got a call from Puran Singh. Dinesh rushed to the police station.

“This is Kairy.” Puran Singh pointed towards a good looking fashionably dressed man around thirty five years of age. “ And Kairy he is Mr. Dinesh, the brother of Naresh.”

The two men shook hands. Dinesh tried not to show his disappointment. He expected to meet a man with craggy features and flat gangster eyes. But this guy could have blended into any decent social gathering. Kairy and Puran exchanged amused glances  at Dinesh’s discomfiture. 

“Please sit down both of you.” Puran Singh said.

Both sat on the long bench in Puran’s cabin.

“I have given him a hint of what you have in mind Mr. Dinesh.” Puran Singh continued “So you can ask him whatever you want.”

“Thank you Sir.”  Dinesh said. Then he turned towards Kairy. “I need your help Mr. Kairy. I have been bearing a very heavy cross on my shoulders for the past several years.” He paused for a moment. “How do you know my brother Naresh? ”

“Mr Dinesh neither I nor my other two colleagues knew him.”

Dinesh sighed. It could have been relief.

“and what about the other two of your associates? Could they have known him?” Dinesh asked.

“One is dead the other has vanished.” Kairy took a deep breath.

“Then can you tell me how my brother got involved in this matter?”

“Mr. Dinesh, the fourth member Kanju, was an old associate. We had done a couple of jobs together. It was he who introduced us to a guy who we knew just as Omi Chikna. Probably his name was Om Prakash, but I am not sure. He was a very handsome man and thus the adage. Omi used to interact more with Kanju than with us three. Only when a job had to be pulled, did we all come together. It wasn’t any different in this case too.”)

                                      *********************

(The snacks and tea that Puran had ordered arrived. Kairy stopped talking. The tea boy served the things and left. Kairy took a sip of the piping hot tea.  

“Omi planned and we four executed. He was also the receiver of stolen property. He knew how to dispose it off.”

“You say that one is dead.” Dinesh said “Who is the guy?”

“Omi.”  Kairy looked at Puran Singh. Dinesh frowned.

“Actually the Police got a tip that one of those who were involved in the robbery, called Omi Chikna was murdered by his own associates. A badly mangled body was recovered.” Puran said.

“We all saw the photograph of the body.” Kairy continued.

“So the other guy is ----“

“Kanju.” Kairy said.

Dinesh turned to Puran Singh “Sir I think that Mr. Kairy has told me all that I wanted to know.”

Kairy looked at Puran Singh and then at Dinesh, and then with a swift nod and hand shake, he left.

“Sir! Please pardon me for bothering you so much.” Dinesh said “If it is okay by you, can I see the file?”)

                                      ***************************

(Puran nodded. Then he took the file from his drawer and gave it to Dinesh who shivered instinctively and closed his eyes. For the next one hour, Dinesh studied the file. He saw the photograph of the corpse carefully and took some mental notes. Then he read about how the police had dusted fingerprints from a remote area a few days before the burglary. It was there that they had got Naresh’s finger prints which matched when they took the prints of all the employees the day after the burglary.     

 Dinesh’s face clouded. This was leading him no where. Kairy was denying knowing Naresh. Then how was it that his innocent brother got stuck in the quagmire?

Dinesh returned the file back to PuranSingh, thanked him for his cooperation and left.)

                                                ******************

 (Unlike Puran Singh or the other cops who investigate a case in a professional manner, Dinesh had a personal interest in this one. So whatever he read or saw he remembered very well and when he reached home, he took a long note book and wrote down everything. Then he began thinking.

The whole problem began with the finger prints. There was a genuine informer. There could also have been more. The first tip that the police received ended with six sets of finger prints landing in the police files. Even if it may be presumed that his brother was somehow involved, then the intention of the informer was to get him arrested. Dinesh could not make out who could have had such an animosity towards his brother. Dinesh closed his eyes and went into a brown study. Suddenly he woke up with a start.

“Fantastic.” He ejaculated “Absolutely fantastic.”)

                                                **************

Jacob was listening to all this patiently. Puran Singh was also interested now. He was eager to know what Dinesh had deduced that the department had chosen to ignore.

( Dinesh could not make out whether it was Kanju or Omi, but he knew that only one person was involved. And this person had some interest in fixing Naresh for good. Dinesh began investigating on my own. Call it luck or Naresh’s innocence, but the first lead he got was from the same jewelry shop where Naresh worked.

When Dinesh went there he found that the shop was very big. He went to the owner and introduced himself. The owner was a young man in his late twenties. His name was Prabhat and he was the son of the gentleman who was Naresh’s boss several years ago. Dinesh told him the purpose of his visit. The boy was quite cooperative.

“Mr. Dinesh I was a child when this thing happened. It would be better if you talk to my father.”

“I would be grateful if you take me to him.”

Prabhat’s father Seth Trilokchand was a venerable saintly looking person, who Dinesh met in a temple where Sethji spent most of his waking hours. When Prabhat introduced Dinesh to him, Sethji looked at him with sad yet kind eyes.

“Namaste Dinesh Ji.”

“Sethiji,  sorry for troubling you.”

“Not at all. Please sit down.”

 Sethji pointed at the steps leading to the temple. He then came and sat beside Dinesh. Prabhat excused himself, went in, paid his respects to the deity and left discreetly.

“I was expecting you.” Sethji said in a kind voice. “All these years I have been waiting to talk to someone about the matter that has been weighing down my heart.”

Dinesh nodded numbly.

“Ask me whatever you want to.” Sethiji said.

“Sethiji” Dinesh began “Do you believe that my brother was a thief?”

Sethji sighed. Dinesh looked at his face. His further investigation depended on the answer from this respectable old man. Dinesh was quite tense.

“No!” Sethji’s voice was firm.)

                                                *********************

 (If there was one word, that lifted all the weight off a man’s chest. It was this. So relieved was Dinesh that tears streamed down his eyes. Sethji looked at him benignly.

“Your brother was a very nice boy.” Sethiji said “I treated him like my own son. He was intelligent and hard working and we all knew that he dreamt of becoming a soldier.” Sethiji smiled ruefully “Soldier in a jewelry shop.”

“Then how---?” Dinesh asked.

Sethji sighed again. “Yes! That surprised me too. Police said that they had found his fingerprints matching with that of one of the thieves. We were all stunned. I even told the police to treat the boy with kid gloves, as I was sure there had been some mistake in identity. But before we could take any step towards solving the case, the poor by hemorrhaged and died.”

There was a gloomy silence for a few moments.

“The whole thing affected me a lot.” Sethji continued. “As If the loss of property was not enough, the death of your brother shattered me completely. I was never the same again. I hung on for some more years till the business recovered and then gave away everything to my sons and ----” Sethji looked towards the temple.

Despite the gloom that pervaded all around, Dinesh instincts were intact. He sensed that the key for the puzzle lay with Sethiji. He braced himself.

“Sethiji do you think that Naresh could have been a pawn in a bigger game?”

“I don’t think. I am sure.”

 Sethji said. Startled at the tone Dinesh looked at him. Sethiji had suddenly turned grim. Dinesh waited.

“I never liked that guy.” Sethji said in a slow bitter voice. “If only he hadn’t been a good customer, I would have chosen to see the last of him.”

Now Dinesh was alert.

“Who?” He asked

“One guy came to the shop often, and went straight to Naresh every time.”

Sethji said. “It is not unusual for customers to choose their own salesmen. Further Naresh was always around, when the guy came.”

“What was his name?”

 “I don’t remember. I seldom interacted with him. Ours was one of the biggest shops in town and every day we came across several customers. This guy came only once a month or at the most every fortnight.”

Then Sethji snorted a chuckle. Dinesh looked at him quizzically.

“If only that fellow hadn’t been a beauty, I would have forgotten him.”

“Beauty?” Dinesh asked.

Sethji nodded.

 “Yes! He was a very handsome boy. Always well groomed, looked like a film star.”

 “Did he come after Naresh died?”

“No” Sethiji said. “And in spite of the arrests, the loot was never recovered.”

‘Omi Chikna!’ Dinesh thought. He kept a poker face. To make himself doubly sure, he asked Sethiji whether the name ‘OMI’ rang a bell. Sethji thought for some time and then shook his head in negative.

“Thanks Sethiji. I am relieved. It is heartening to know that you believe in my brother’s innocence.” Dinesh said.

Sethji looked at him strangely. Then he got up and took his hand.

“Naresh was lucky to have a brother like you.” He said. “Don’t let the boy’s unfortunate death go unanswered.”

Dinesh nodded, saluted Sethiji and left. It was soothing to learn that he was not the only one who was crying for Naresh.)

**********************

(From Sethji’s description of the man, it was evident that Naresh’s enemy was Omi and not Kanju. The search had narrowed down a little. From then on, Dinesh stopped thinking like Naresh’s brother, and got into the mind of this man who had led everyone by the nose.

Omi had decided to rob the shop even before he began frequenting it. And at that time Naresh would not have appeared in the picture. He was just another salesman. Sethji had said that he did not like him in spite of his good looks. Omi was friendlier with Naresh than he was with the other guys probably because both were of around the same age.

Omi came, saw, made his purchases as well as his plans, and then hit the shop for good. It was as simple as that. Cut and dried job.

‘But why should he nail Naresh?’  This is what intrigued Dinesh. There is a Hindi proverb- there are three root causes for any enmity or trouble: Land, money and woman. Naresh was not a landlord. He was not rich. And Omi had also succeeded in his own mission. Then what made him commit such a cold yet fool hardy act?

 Anyone who had pulled off such a brilliant heist, would have made sure that Naresh did not come into the picture at all, lest the innocent guy blurt out something which would be the end of Omi’s capers. After spending hours over this puzzle Dinesh came to the conclusion that the answer to the whole puzzle lay with a woman.)

                                      **************************

As there was a considerable age difference between Dinesh and Naresh, they were not so close to each other. Even nature wise they were very different. Dinesh was the sportive outgoing type, and Naresh was shy and introverted. Yet Dinesh was sure that Naresh was not a frivolous skirt chaser. So the possibility of his fighting over a girl was ruled out. Dinesh kept brooding over that matter endlessly.

And then he recalled that kid.)

                                      **************************

(This girl called Sarita was the only child of their neighbor in Maharajpura. Her father Shivlal ran a grocery shop. Naresh and Sarita were in the same school, and were thick as thieves from childhood. Every one in the locality was amused at the way the two kids behaved like two peas in a pod. Dinesh’s friends used to tease him often saying that Naresh had chosen his life partner even before Dinesh had done. Sarita spent more time at Naresh’s home than in her own house.   

Dinesh’s parents had relocated to their ancestral village after Naresh’s death. So Dinesh had lost all touch with Maharajpura. Yet on a hunch he went there and met Sarita’s father.

It was an emotional reunion. Shivlal and his wife hugged Dinesh recalled the past and shed copious tears. Dinesh learnt that Shivlal was now a big man. He owned a small departmental store that fetched him a reasonable income. A team of well trained staff took care of the store and Shivlal was enjoying the status of a respectable Seth. Shivlal told Dinesh that Sarita was married to a successful business man based in Chennai, and that his Son-in-law had financed the acquisition of this departmental store. Shivlal was all praise for that man who Shivlal called Mr. Radheyshyam. 

“And to think that I met my Son-in-law thanks to the boy who I liked most, your brother Naresh.” Shivlal sighed.

This offhand remark put Dinesh totally off balance. He steadied himself.

“Naresh?” He asked most casually.

“Yes. It was a coincidence. My Son-in-law came to my shop and inquired about Naresh’s address. They happened to be friends, and so he had come to offer his condolences after the poor boy’s demise. But your parents had left by then. So I invited him to my house for lunch.”

Dinesh smiled ruefully. Even now he was not very sure.

“What does you Son- In- Law do?” He asked.

“He is a dealer in gemstones, jewelry etc.”

“I see! How is your daughter?”

“She is very happy.” Shivlal said proudly. “My Son-in-law dotes on her. He knows about her affection for Naresh, and so he takes extra care to keep her happy. Now I am a grandfather of a beautiful young girl.”

“I am happy to know that” Dinesh exclaimed. “And I would be happier if you showed me their wedding album.”

Shivlal, the simple man that he was, obliged readily. As Dinesh opened the beautifully bound volume, his heart skipped a beat. On the very first page he saw the face that he was searching for so long.)

                                                *****************    

“Inspector Saab ( Dinesh turned towards Jacob) you have seen the dead body. The fellow looked so good even in death. But the photo in the album was several decades older, and despite my bitterness I should admit that  Omi Chikna who Shivlal knew as Radheyshyam, was a devastatingly attractive man. He could have been a film star, or a magnate or anything that he wished to be. It was indeed unfortunate that the fellow chose to be a devil.”         

( By the time Dinesh was through with Sivlal, he knew who he was looking for. Tactfully he took Sarita’s Chennai address. He told Shivlal that he was a transporter and that he may be going to Chennai on business trips.

There was a possibility of Omi finding out all about this but Dinesh was ready to take the risk. Dinesh had seen his photograph. Omi did not know how Dinesh looked like.)

                                      *******************************

(As a commando Dinesh had learnt that one should never under estimate his rival. And Omi was no ordinary foe. Dinesh planned his next move meticulously.

As a transporter who drove his own truck, it was not difficult for Dinesh to plan a trip to Chennai. The opportunity came a fortnight later. He unloaded his truck at the go down in Chennai, parked the truck, and took an auto to the place where Sarita lived. He got down a furlong away, and strolled towards the house.

As he turned into the street where Sarita’s bungalow was, Dinesh stopped abruptly. His heart leapt forward and then began racing. Omi was standing near a gleaming limousine, talking on the phone. Dinesh stepped back to hide under a tree and took a look at the fellow.

Omi looked every inch a prosperous business man. Dinesh was several paces away from him, yet he could see that the man had managed to retain his looks. Dinesh wondered how the devil could have lurked behind such a charming face.

As he stood there unsure of what to do, a young girl came out of the bungalow. She was holding a leather bag of some sort. Even a fool could have made out from her face that she was Omi’s daughter. Dinesh felt drained. Confronting Omi was one thing. But pointing an accusing finger at him in front of his child was something else. A few minutes later, father and daughter left in the car in the opposite direction. Dinesh kept standing there awkwardly.)

                                      ******************************

(But luck was on Dinesh’s side. As a matter of habit he had memorized the registration number of the car. That evening, as he was strolling outside his lodge, he saw the same car coming towards him from a distance. It turned into a parking lot near a huge temple. Dinesh walked briskly towards it. He was in time to see Sarita get down from the car and walk towards the temple.

In spite of the time lapse, Dinesh could recognize her. Her sweet plump face had aged a little, but the gentleness and innocence were still intact. He called her by her name, and she turned around. After the momentous shock she came and touched his feet.

It was Sarita who suggested that they should go to the park and have a chat. Dinesh was in two minds now. He regretted having come to Chennai. Life is for the living and Naresh was dead. There was no pointing in digging up old and bad memories. But Sarita seemed to be eager to talk to him.

The conversation began simply though. They exchanged notes about each other’s family. Dinesh was relieved that Shivlal had not mentioned about him to her. All the bitterness that Dinesh had for Omi looked insignificant compared to the affection that he had for this girl who he saw as a kid sister. Dinesh wanted to drop everything and leave, after wishing her all the best in life.)

                                      ****************************

(And then Sarita threw the vulnerable Dinesh off balance. She asked him casually, how he took Naresh’s demise. The question was so sudden and unexpected that Dinesh blurted out what he suspected. And to his horror, Sarita did not contradict him.

When Dinesh told her that he suspected foul play in the Naresh affair, Sarita gave him a sidelong glance and then stared at the ground. And then she began probing Dinesh gently. The tough and taciturn Dinesh was no match to the soft, tactful and sweet Sarita. She drew Dinesh out of his shell by throwing the necessary baits. She said that she was puzzled by the whole matter, and that she regretted her helplessness.

It did not take long for Dinesh to come out with the truth. And when he told her, her reaction was strange. Instead of shouting and cussing at Dinesh, Sarita blushed and began weeping. Now Dinesh was certain that he was on the right track. Teary eyed, he explained his position and the mental torture that he had gone through all his life. Sarita got up abruptly, hugged Dinesh tight, touched his feet again and ran away.

Dinesh sat there for an hour or so and then trudged back to his lodge. He had never felt so drained. On one side was justice and on the other was Sarita’s life. Omi was her husband and her child’s father. Much as Dinesh hated Omi, he could not bring himself to harm the guy now. It was frustrating but Dinesh had no other alternative except to drop the idea of revenge and leave Chennai for good. And that is what he did.)

******************

(During his occupation as a transporter, Dinesh had come across people from various walks of life. With some he had a casual acquaintance and with others, he was closer. Rajanand was one from the second circle.

Rajanand belonged to Bhopal. He was a dealer in electronic goods, and was a frequent traveler to major cities. After being a travelling salesman for several years, he had at last set up shop in Pune, with the help of some business associates. Things had become easier from him from then on, and save for frequent drives to Mumbai, he had begun avoiding long trips.

One winter evening, Rajanand was driving back from Mumbai to Pune as usual, when he had an attack of hay fever. To his frustration, Rajanand found that he had not brought his medicine kit along. With sheer will power, he tried to drive further, but after a few kilometers, he stopped abruptly, parked his jeep on a corner, switched the head lights on, and sat, wheezing and coughing violently. It was in the middle of the night, and Rajanand was stuck somewhere in the Western ghats. He had his cell phone but he could not make a call due to breathlessness. He thought that it was the end of the world for him.

 And then Dinesh came.)

                                      *************************

(Dinesh was driving his truck from Pune to Mumbai when he spotted the jeep. He stopped, took his cell phone and got down to see what was wrong.

Incidents like this were common in that area and Dinesh was a helpful man.

As soon as Rajanand saw Dinesh, he gave up and the attack got more severe. Dinesh picked him up, took him to his truck, gave him a strong shot of brandy, and called the patrolling police. Within half an hour the police came with an ambulance and took Rajanand to the nearest hospital. Dinesh gave his visiting card to the police and left.

A week later Dinesh got a call. It was Rajanand. He was weeping and thanking Dinesh, for the Good Samaritan act. Dinesh was happy that Rajanand was hale and healthy again. Rajanand insisted on meeting Dinesh on his next trip that side. A month later they met, and Rajanand hugged him, and took him to his family and friends. Dinesh was amused by this show of emotion but he played along. Rajanand took him home and treated him to a splendid dinner. From then on they were close pals, and at Rajanand’s insistence, Dinesh made it a point to look him up or call him whenever he was in Mumbai.)

                                      **************************

(Rajanand was a prosperous business man. He also had contacts with other big wigs in different lines of business. Within a year, Dinesh was a regular guest at a club in Mumbai where Rajanand was a member.

On the completion of one year of their friendship, Rajanand invited Dinesh for dinner and drinks. It was on the same day that Dinesh had given a new lease of life to Rajanand a year before. Some of Rajanand’s close friends were also invited. The group celebrated the evening, drinking and chatting quietly. Rajanand praised Dinesh sky high, to the embarrassment of the cool headed soldier. As the evening wore on Dinesh learnt that one of Rajanand’s guests was a dealer in artificial jewelry and gems. Tactfully Dinesh filed this information away without revealing anything.

This was   some months after Dinesh had met Sarita in Chennai.)

*******************

(Six months passed without any communication between Dinesh and Sarita. By now the man had left the problem behind. As far as he was concerned, it was all over. He had scrupulously avoided any trip to Chennai.

One evening, as he was getting ready to take a load of goods to Jaipur, Dinesh got a call. Dinesh looked at the number on his cell phone and frowned. It was from Sarita. He answered the call. Even as they exchanged greetings, Dinesh could make out that Sarita was depressed. He asked her if everything was alright. Sarita began weeping. Dinesh was embarrassed. He tried to console her. But what Sarita said made Dinesh teary eyed. She wondered how Dinesh could swallow such an injustice to the one person who they both loved so much. Sarita told him that from the day she met Dinesh, a part of her was dead. She could not face Omkar any more. She was disgusted with herself, with Omi and with her affluent but artificial life. She said that she would have been happier as the wife of a nicer though poorer Naresh. The suspicion that Omi had caused Naresh’s demise only to wed her, made Sarita hate herself more than she hated Omi.

Finally Sarita told Dinesh that if they left this gross injustice unpaid for, her soul would never rest in peace.)

                                      *************************

(All the way to Jaipur, Dinesh pondered over the situation. The more he recalled his conversation with Sarita, the more upset he got. He could realize that Sarita still loved Naresh, and that her plight was even more pathetic than his own. He had lost a brother. She had not only lost the love of her life, but was forced to live with the very person who was solely responsible for her loss.

At Jaipur  Dinesh got a consignment to be unloaded at Surat. He jumped at it. When he reached Surat, Dinesh called Rajanand. They met at the same club in Mumbai the next evening. Without revealing much, Dinesh told Rajanand that he wanted to confront a man who owed him a huge debt. Dinesh told him that the man was dealing in gems and artificial jewelry and that Dinesh wanted some one who could help him meet this guy. Rajanand agreed to help.

Within weeks, Rajanand and his own gem dealer friend trained a fellow in the rudiments of the business. This guy was a professional conman and he agreed to work for them for a reasonable price.  They supplied him with the necessary samples, visiting cards with a fictitious name, and an office address along with a complete list of cell numbers of people from the jewelry line. This guy, who now called himself Lalit Kumar, approached Omkar as a regular dealer in gems, and artificial jewelry.)

                                      ****************************

(Over the years, Omkar had become more and more laidback and complacent. Years of rich and peaceful living had eroded whatever suspicion or caution he had in the beginning. Providentially, Sarita too had chosen to suffer silently, instead of pitch forking the whole family into turmoil by asking Omkar embarrassing questions. When Lalit Kumar’s call came, Omkar was the last guy to suspect anything.

Neither Dinesh nor Lalit knew each other. Lalit played his role as a dealer of gems perfectly well.  Initially the conversation between him and Omkar was over the phone. Then Omkar looked him up on one of his trips to Mumbai. This foreplay went on for a couple of months, till Dinesh informed that the he was ready for the showdown.

Lalit contacted Omkar and told him that he was coming to Pondicherry on business and that later he would call him so that they could meet. Meanwhile Lalit informed Dinesh about the plan. Dinesh came to Mahabalipuram, and checked into a seedy hotel. The next evening, he got a call from Lalit Kumar that Omkar had arrived. Dinesh gave him the necessary instructions and waited. That morning Lalit saw Dinesh for the first time. Both took the necessary precautions. Lalit had given a wrong forwarding address, and Dinesh dressed himself up like a well to do landlord who had come to the city for the first time.)

                                      ****************************

(Omkar came to the motel where Lalit Kumar was staying and the two went out in Omkar’s car. As Omkar had driven all the way from Chennai, Lalit offered to do the driving now. Lalit told Omkar that he had come there to meet an old friend and that the three should have supper together. Omkar nodded. It was already dusk and soon enough it was dark.

Lalit drove the car to the hotel where Dinesh was waiting for the two. On being introduced to Omkar by Lalit, Dinesh played the rustic fool to perfection. He beamed and put Omkar further off guard by making silly statements.

After the two settled down, Dinesh went in and brought a bottle of Whiskey, and suggested that they should have a couple of drinks before going for supper.

The three sat down for the evening. Lalit was the common friend and hence he kept up the conversation for a while. When they were two pegs down, Lalit excused himself to bring cigarettes, and vanished. His work was over.)

                                      *************************

(It was certainly Omkar’s Judgement day. His past was catching up with him. A couple of moments after Lalit disappeared, It began drizzling. As it was rainy season, the windows were already closed. This was a seedy dingy rat hole usually occupied by junkies and tourists. No occupant bothered to find out what the other was doing. Every one had his own problems to take care of.

Dinesh, excused himself, went, closed the door and turned around. Omkar’s back was towards him. Dinesh stepped forward and pressed the nerves behind Omkar’s ears, suddenly and expertly. Omkar slumped forward. Dinesh, picked him up and took him to the wash room. He then sealed all the doors and windows. Now the two were alone.

Dinesh splashed ice water on Omkar’s face. The fellow groaned and tried to open his eyes. Dinesh stared at him.

“Hello Omkar!” The silly babble had vanished and the trademark growl had taken over.

Omi winced. He could recall that Lalit had introduced him to this peasant as “Radheyshyam.” ‘Then how could this fellow call him by the name which even he himself had chosen to forget?’

“What?” Omi hissed.

“I said hello!” Dinesh spat  “Omi Chikna.”

Omi sat bolt upright. He stared at the face which was as stern and hard as it looked stupid and vulnerable just half an hour back.

“ I --- I --- don’t understand!” He stammered.

Dinesh looked at him and smiled. Then he sat down on a stool. Omkar’s mind got clearer. He mistook Dinesh for a police man or a detective who was probably digging up old files.)

                                      **************************  

(Omkar was no ordinary criminal. He still retained the same old devilish brain and the confidence of a gangster. In a second he began planning his way out of this situation.

“What do you want?” He asked quietly.

“What do you have?” Dinesh parried.

“Ask me.”

“I want Naresh back.”

A mule’s kick on the head would not have had a more devastating effect on Omkar than this short line from Dinesh. He jerked backwards, sucked some air and puked on the floor. Then he began coughing wildly. Tears streamed down Omkar’s face but this did not fool the soldier. Omkar spat, rinsed his mouth, and then slumped on the closed commode. Dinesh waited patiently.

“Who are you?” Omkar gasped.

“Dinesh! Naresh’s elder brother.”

Omkar stared at the floor for a few moments. Lalit had introduced Dinesh as “Shri Vilayati Prasad.”

Omkar felt very exhausted. He tried to say something but words failed him. Now he knew that he can’t fool the man who faced him now. Neither his looks, nor his charm, nor all that he had acquired over the years could impress this solid, stolid, specimen of manhood.

“Tell me what you want me to do!” Omkar was amazed at his own voice. It wasn’t that of a successful, charming, confident business man. Instead he sounded like an aging petty trader who was trying to reason with the authorities who had come to demolish his shop.

“I want the complete story.” Dinesh said.)

                                      *****************************

 (Dinesh took out a small tape recorder from his pocket. Omkar looked at it disbelievingly. Dinesh placed the tape recorder on a small stool near Omkar.

  “I am going to record every word of what you say. Let it take the whole night. I don’t care. But I want the complete testament in your own voice. And listen---” Here Dinesh leaned forward and peeped into Omkar’s eyes

“I know that you know who I am. Don’t try to play tough guy with me. I will not blink before snapping your dainty neck.” Dinesh displayed his sinewy arms.

Omkar closed his eyes. He indeed knew who Dinesh was. It dawned on him that it was the end of the road for him. This man certainly meant business. Omkar shivered at the thought of spending the rest of his life in a prison cell. He brooded for a few moments. Dinesh was in no hurry. Omkar smiled weakly. He imagined the reaction of his family and those who knew him, once they learnt about the other side of the man who they all knew, loved, revered and respected as Radheshyam.

The name Radheyshyam struck a chord. The gangster shook his head slowly. Dinesh frowned. Omkar looked at Dinesh.

“Okay!” he said finally. “You want the whole story. You will get it.”)

Omkar spoke for hours.  What he said made Dinesh wonder whether facts could be so incredible.)

                                      ***************************

(Naresh was a salesman in one of the big jewelry shops which Omkar frequented. Besides dealing in such items, Omkar also liked to wear them. Naresh and Omkar were of the same age and thus became good friends within a short time. Omkar’s house was on the way to Naresh’s house and so, Naresh would drop in on weekends for drinks and snacks.  

Naresh belonged to a village called Maharajpura in the outskirts of the city. Naresh’s elder brother Dinesh was in the armed forces and was posted at the Rajasthan border overlooking Pakistan. It was also Naresh’s dream to join the millitary. He had applied once but failed, and now he was preparing again for the written exam.

One evening as they sat in Omkar’s house, Naresh told him about his plans. While Naresh was a heavy guzzler, Omkar sipped his whiskey slowly.

With a couple of pegs down his throat, Naresh got tipsy and romantic. He slipped into a fond reverie and slurred that he looked forward to becoming a soldier and marrying Sarita.

“Sarita?” Omkar smiled. “Who is she?”

Naresh screwed his eyes to see Omkar clearly. “You don’t know? Haven’t I told you before? She is the love of my life.”

“Oh is it!”

Naresh fumbled into his pocket and took out his purse. He opened it and handed it over to Omkar.

“See that is her photograph.”

Omkar threw a casual glance at the mug shot. And then he sat rooted to the chair. It was the face of a very young fresh looking girl, who was pretty in a homely way. If there was something called love at first sight, it was this. Opposites attract. Sarita’s delicate features and innocent look hit the cunning Omkar like a thunderbolt. He felt that he and Sarita were made for each other. She was the type who every young man would love to have as a life partner. Omkar was young and he wanted her. He masked his feelings and returned the snap to Naresh.

“How is she?” Naresh asked.

“Excellent choice” Omkar answered politely.)

                                      ********************

Omkar’s devilish brain began working. That evening, when Naresh left, Omkar put on plastic gloves, took Naresh’s glass carefully and placed it inside a cardboard box.

 Omkar knew Naresh’s address in  Maharajpura. Naresh had told him every thing about his family. And on that fateful evening Omkar came to know that Sarita was Naresh’s neighbor.

One evening a fews day later Omkar went to Maharajpura and walked towards Naresh’s house.

Omkar was aware that he was unusually good looking and hence his face could get registered easily. It was winter. He wore a huge oversized pullover, and tied a thick blue scarf around his head. He also wore horn rimmed spectacles to be doubly sure that he looked commonplace. In such an attire it wasn’t difficult for him to act like a young man suffering from a bad cold. Wheezing and coughing, he entered the street where Naresh lived. To his amazement, Sarita was standing outside her house talking to a small child. Omkar slowed his pace and looked at her without getting noticed himself.

She was wearing a pink color suit, socks, and slippers, and had a shawl draped around her body. Her face was plain, but healthy and glowing. There was not an ounce of guile in her big black eyes. She had a very small mouth and her lips were rosy. Omkar walked towards her wheezing and sweating. As he reached near her, he stopped and began breathing heavily. Sarita and the child looked at him. Omkar gave them a pathetic glance and looked away. In spite of the fact that he had hidden his identity pretty well, Omkar did not want to take any chances. After a few minutes, he slowly walked away without uttering one word.                                  

During a casual conversation with Naresh, Omkar learnt that Sarita’s father ran a grocery store near their house in Maharajpura. Omkar filed away the name of the store in his memory.)

                                                *********************

(Now, Omkar called his gang for a meeting.  It was at the back of an isolated pump set in the midst of a wheat field. It was a very cold night and every one came completely furred up. Besides liquor, snacks, and food for all of them, Omkar had also brought the crockery. He was a good host. As they chatted and discussed about a new job, Omkar deftly slipped Naresh’s glass in the midst of other glasses. As the hours passed, Omkar drew out a blue print for the next job.

The Police station at Inderganj, received an anonymous phone call at the wee hours of the same night. The caller gave them specific details of the spot where the gang was planning a burglary, without revealing his identity. He however told them that they could collect several fingerprints from the spot.

The police moved swiftly and took possession of the glasses and the crockery from which they dusted six sets of finger prints.

Exactly one month later, on a foggy night the gang hit the jewelry shop where Naresh worked. It was one of the best jobs the gang had ever done. They came out with a booty, that could settle them all for the rest of their lives.)

                                      *****************************

(The police came to the jewelry shop and took the fingerprints of all the employees as a routine check. In the evening a police jeep screeched to a halt outside the shop, a couple of hefty cops got down, entered the shop and nabbed Naresh, to the horror of all those inside and outside the shop.

Naresh was too stunned to even mutter something. When the owner asked the cops the reason for their doing so, they told him that Naresh’s finger prints matched that of one of the suspects. Naresh swooned there and then. He was carried by the cops to a clinic nearby where he was put on drips. Naresh’s parents and relatives were informed and they reached the clinic. His mother threw a fit. Naresh’s father and relatives went to the police station and told the inspector that Naresh was a very good boy who wanted to serve his beloved country. A boy with such noble intentions would never do any thing so demoniac.

The inspector was sympathetic. He promised that if Naresh cooperated with them, the department would not harm him and may even set him free.

Omkar was a cold blooded scoundrel. He had planned the whole thing very well. The robbery took place on a Thursday night. The police arrested Naresh on Friday evening. Saturday and Sunday were off for courts. So Naresh would have to spend the weekend in the lockup.)

                                      ******************************

(Poor Naresh, was a hypersensitive lad. The thought of his being arrested had a shattering effect on him. His imagination went wild. The thought of losing face in the market, the thought of Sarita’s reaction to all this and the fear that with a police record, he may be barred from writing the exam for joining the forces, hammered his stunned but subconscious mind repeatedly. He could not imagine why or how all this happened. In the wee hours of Saturday, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and died.

When the news of his death reached Maharajpura, Sarita swooned. Sarita was Naresh’s childhood sweetheart. They were waiting for Naresh’s selection in the Armed forces before getting married. They studied in the same school, played together and chatted for long hours even when they were kids. There was nothing that the two did not know about each other.

The whole locality was distraught. Every one cried for the young girl. It was with a heavy heart that the people in the area attended Naresh’s funeral.  As the police could not get any statement from him, The FIR was filed away and the police started investigating without any lead.)

**********************

(When the burglary took place, Omkar was out of town on one of his business trips. A fortnight later, the gang met again, this time at another lonely spot. The loot was handed over to Omkar, who gave them all a hefty advance. The gang celebrated the success with drinks and delicacies and then went back to their routine. Omkar stuffed the loot in the hidden cavity in his car and drove away. He would now focus on disposing it off.

Omkar had been doing this for the past eight years. He was an ace in this field. But now he was getting bored of the grind and was seriously thinking of starting a new life.

Omkar’s foresightedness had hoodwinked the cops completely. The gang members lived in separate localities and were seldom seen together. They were five different guys from five different areas. Further, as per Omkar’s suggestion, each had carefully cultivated a legitimate image and shunned the company of the bad guys in their own localities. So it was all the more difficult for the police to get any tip about any one of them.)

                                      ****************************   

(One evening Omkar called Kanju. Kanju and Omkar went back a long way. It was Kanju who had introduced the other three to Omkar. Even now, before taking up any assignment,  Omkar and Kanju discussed the plan initially, before disclosing it to the others. Omkar had called Kanju under the pretext that he had a job in mind, that was to be executed at a small township called Dhaulpur. Kanju came to the meeting spot where Omkar picked him up in his car and the two drove away. It was around eleven in the night when they reached an isolated spot. Omkar stopped the car to take a leak. Both stepped out, and Omkar went to a corner. Kanju stretched himself and began lighting a cigarette. With amazing dexterity Omkar reached behind Kanju and shot him dead.

 After stripping the body to its under garments, Omkar dragged it to a railway track. He placed the body on the track with the hands on one of the lines. Then he went back to the car and waited patiently. Half an hour later he heard the sound of an approaching train.

At three in the morning the same police station that had been informed about the fingerprints, received an anonymous call. The caller told them that one “Omi Chikna” who had participated in the burglary at the jewelry shop, had been killed by the other gang members, and his body thrown on the railway track. He also informed the spot where it was lying.

The police went next day and recovered the body.  The hand and the head were completely smashed. So the police could do nothing but to dispose it off after completing the formalities.)

******************

(Now Omkar was officially dead and had all the loot in his possession. He drove the car to Agra, parked it at an isolated place, removed all the papers, the number plates, the loot from the cavity and his suitcase, and boarded a train to Madras. He knew that the car would be disposed off by professional car thieves even before the train reached Gwalior.

Omkar was a traveler who had visited several towns and cities. When he decided to start life afresh, he had also thought about where he could lose himself into the crowd easily. After due deliberation, he had chosen this southern metropolis. It was a big city, crowded, yet the population was not so cosmopolitan. With his trade and his skills, he could easily set up a shop dealing in fancy items, artificial jewelry and gemstones. Omkar spoke English well. He had a couple of south Indian friends who were in the same line and who were happy to be of assistance to him. These south Indians knew him as Radhey Shyam which happened to be his official name. Omkar settled down to a peaceful life.

One month later, the police station in Gwalior received the third and final tip. A few hours later Bankey, Gopa and Kairy were arrested. When they were grilled they claimed that the loot was with Omi Chikna. The police laughed. When the three stunned gangsters were shown the photograph of the badly mangled body, they could not make out that it was Kanju’s and not Omkar’s.)

                                      ******************************

(Six months after he settled down in Madras, Omkar decided to make his next move. Talent is what you possess but genius is what possesses you. Omkar was a genius. He had the right combination of talent, luck and pluck, besides a razor sharp brain, and a focus that was truly amazing. When he set his sight on something, he did not rest till he got it. And he had set his eyes on Sarita.

Naresh and “Omi Chikna” were dead. Radhey Shyam was alive. Now it was time for Omkar to contact Sarita’s father Shivlal. And this he did with his typical cunning and tact. He reached Gwalior, and took an auto directly to Maharajpura reaching there just before midnight. He took a room in a small hotel, signing the register as Radheshyam. Next morning he went to Shivlal’s shop.

“Namaste!” He saluted the elderly man.

Shivlal acknowledged the salute.

“Mr. Shivlal?”

“That is me.”

“My name is Radheyshyam. Naresh told me about you.”  

“Which  Naresh?”

“ Naresh, who was working in the jewelry shop in Gwalior.”

Shivlal got instantly suspicious. He thought that the man standing in front of him was a police spy who had come to collect information. Omkar was prepared for this. Before Shivlal could say something Omkar dispelled his fears.

“Sir I know what you are thinking. Actually I was a regular customer in that shop and thus I came to know about him. I am usually on tour and had been in south for the past several months. I learnt about this tragedy through a common acquaintance. I was on my way to Delhi, when I decided to come and pay my condolences to his family. I don’t know his address, but I remembered his telling me that his neighbor ran a grocery shop. So I came to you.”

Shivlal relaxed a bit. He offered him tea. Then Shivlal told him that Naresh’s family had left the town and gone back to their village which was in a remote area. They chatted for some time.

“Oh I see.” Omkar sighed. Then he sipped his tea quietly. Shivlal asked him about his business. Omkar gave him his business card. Shivlal looked at the handsome, affluent looking young man, and thought about his own unfortunate daughter.

“Actually Naresh was more than a neighbor to me.” Shivlal said sadly.

‘Here it comes’ Omkar thought “ Oh! Really?”

Shivlal nodded.” He was to become my son in law.”

“Oh! I see.” Omkar said sympathetically. “I am sorry.”

“Are you married?” Shivlal asked suddenly.

“Me? No Sir. Actually I have settled down just now. Further, my parents are both dead, and so----” Omkar let it hang.

“There is none to look for a suitable match for you.” Shivlal completed the sentence.

” That is right.” Omkar smiled feebly.

“How long would you be in Gwalior?”

“I was thinking of leaving tonight. Is there anything you want me to do?”

“No, I just thought that as you are Naresh’s friend and his family is not here, you may drop in for lunch at my house.”

Omkar smiled “With pleasure Sir if it does not bother you and your family.”

“ Not at all. It is a pleasure.”

Shivlal would never know how deliriously happy Omkar was. This was the chance he was waiting for. And it had fallen in his lap in a most unexpected manner. On the way to Shivlal’s house that afternoon, Omkar insisted on purchasing sweets, and fruits. He gifted the parcel to Shivlal’s wife, and floored her with his charm, sweet talk, and manners. Sarita was no where in sight.

Omkar left after lunch with a promise that he would return a week later, on his way back to Madras. That evening Sarita’s mother and Shivlal had a long chat about Sarita’s future. Both had seen Omkar, and liked what they saw.)

                                                **********************

(When Omkar came the next time, Shivlal told him that he had a daughter who was well educated, young, pretty, and was supposed to marry Naresh but due to his unfortunate and unexpected demise, he was searching for a suitable match for her.

“Sir if you consider me for the alliance, I would feel obliged.” Omkar said softly.

“That is the reason why I requested you to drop in on your way back.” Shivlal smiled. “Wait I shall call my daughter.”

Sarita came with her mother into the hall, and stood shyly. Omkar’s throat went dry. As he got up to greet her, his legs were shaking.

“Namaste.” He said softly.

Sarita folded her hands in return. Both stood there awkwardly for a few moments.

“Sit down Mr. Radheyshyam.” Shivlal said affectionately. 

Omkar sat down and stared at the floor. Shivlal smiled at Sarita and she went back discreetly.

From her room, Sarita saw Omkar. He was certainly a very handsome man. Far better looking than any one she had met till now. Naresh and she used to exchange notes often and she knew a lot about him, his employer, his colleagues etc. But she could not recall Radheyshyam’s name. Probably he was just an acquaintance. Yes, her father mentioned that he was a regular customer in that shop.

Being a worried father Shivlal wanted things to happen fast. Omkar and Sarita got married a month later. Sarita came to Chennai with her mother and set up her household. Omkar was on cloud nine. He had achieved what he wanted. When Rashmi was born a year later, Omkar cup was full.)

                                      *******************************

(By the time Omkar came to the climax of his strange life story, it was already midnight. Dinesh had to change the tapes a couple of times to record the complete monologue. Now he had the poison to nail Omkar for good.

“Yes, I wanted Sarita badly” Omkar concluded “but I never intended to kill Naresh. I knew that he was a soft guy but ---” He looked at the floor “Believe me I was shocked on learning about his death.”

All through this period something was nagging at the back of Dinesh’s mind. He knew that Omkar was telling the truth. He also realized that this testament would be Omkar’s ticket to hell. And that wondered him. How could Omkar be so docile?

“Is that all?” Dinesh asked.

“What else? You wanted the complete story. I gave you more than you asked for.”

Dinesh took the tapes, put them in his pocket along with the recorder and opened the door to go out. With lightening speed, Omkar lunged forward.

With the dexterity and cold bloodedness of a professional criminal, Omkar attacked Dinesh with the long thick wooden brush that he had spotted at a corner of the wash room. Omkar was shorter and softer than Dinesh, but he was desperate. His future depended on the tapes that were now in Dinesh’s pocket. He needed them so badly that he stopped thinking of the consequences of such a foolhardy act.

Dinesh smiled instinctively. He was ready for this. He turned around grinned, stopped the reckless blow with his left hand and in one swift move punched Omkar on the face.

As Omkar spotted the fist coming towards him, he tried to ward off the blow. In the process, he slipped on the wet washroom floor. His head jerked back, and the punch that should have landed on his jaw, hit his chest.

Omkar gasped, fell backwards and lay still. Dinesh stared at the prostrate figure. He knew that Omkar was not built for a punch like this. He kneeled down and placed his palm under Omkar’s nose. A moment later he got up and went out.

Dinesh kept the cassettes and the tape recorder on the table, made himself a stiff shot of whiskey, and gulped it down.)

*************************

(Omkar’s sudden death shook Dinesh. If only he had not been the tough guy that he was, Dinesh would have panicked. The whiskey had the desired effect. Dinesh relaxed and tried to think.

Naresh’s death had been vindicated. This relieved Dinesh. He felt light hearted after several years. Omkar had paid his debt. He did not deserve any thing better. But now Sarita was a widow, and the child Rashmi, who Dinesh hardly knew, had lost her father. This pained him.

Dinesh went and stared out of the window. It was pouring cats and dogs. Dinesh went and peeped into the wash room. Omkar was still motionless. Dinesh came back and stared at the table where the cassettes lay. And then he spot the bunch of keys.

They were lying at the other end of the table. Dinesh picked them up and frowned. Then he realized that they were Omkar’s car keys. Dinesh went back, stripped Omkar to his under garments, and carried the body to the bed. Then he checked his clothes.

Dinesh had taken his bath early in the morning and then he had been using only the wash basin. The washroom had not been used for some time. Yet as he had fallen in the wash room, Omkar’s clothes were slightly wet.

Other than the usual wallet, handkerchief, a packet of cigarettes which was now almost empty, and an expensive lighter , Omkar was not carrying anything with him. Now Dinesh realized, what had bothered him for so long. Omkar was not carrying a gun or any weapon. It spoke volumes about the dead man’s complacence.  Without wasting much time, Dinesh dressed Omkar up again. The whiff of perfume still emanated from the man’s handkerchief and clothes. Omkar was some dandy.)

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(A few hours before dawn, Dinesh opened the door and strolled out. The rains had stopped. He looked around to assure himself that all was quiet. He went and opened the front doors of Omkar’s car. Then he returned, picked up the body, which now weighed a ton, and took it to the car.

Placing the body in a sitting position on the front seat, Dinesh drove away. He had to move fast before rigor mortis set in. Driving steadily, he crossed the toll gate and sped towards Chennai. After a couple of kilometers, Dinesh began looking for a suitable place to dump the body. His nerves were taut and he was observing every thing astutely. Dinesh could not afford to make any mistake now. As there was not much traffic, he could drive at the centre of the road, so that he could see on both sides easily.

After driving for around forty five minutes, Dinesh spotted a ditch on the right side. He drove towards it and stopped on the road a few paces away. Then he studied the ditch.

In spite of the heavy down pour the ditch was some how only half filled with rain water. Dinesh switched the head lights off and waited for some time. All through the drive he had thought of all the precautionary steps. He got out of the car, and stepped on the tarred road. Carefully, he caught hold of Omkar’s right arm, and began dragging him slowly towards the driver’s seat. For a strong man like Dinesh it was not very difficult. Once the body was in the right position, Dinesh lifted Omkar’s stiff hands and placed them on the steering wheel. Then he closed the door and windows and deftly walked to the back of the car. Dinesh had already taken the cell phone, the cigarette pack, the lighter and the car keys in his possession.

Slowly, with all his strength Dinesh pushed the car into the ditch. It went in with a splash. Carefully tiptoeing a few steps towards the ditch, Dinesh leaned forward and made sure that the car had landed well. He then began walking towards Chennai. A couple of kilometers later he saw a buildings on both sides.)

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 (Dinesh was one lucky man. The police patrol car had not spotted him till now. He entered one of the buildings on the left side. Standing in a dark corner, he lit one of Omkar’s remaining few cigarettes and began thinking.

Now he planned his next move. He called the police using Omkar’s cell phone, informed them about an accident at East Coast Road, removed the SIM card, and threw it into a gutter. Then he walked into a small lane that passed through a sleepy locality and reached a broad road that led to the main bus stop in a place called Thiruvanmiyur. There he boarded the first bus that took him to the other end of the city. By the time he reached there, it was already early morning. For the next couple of hours Dinesh whiled away his time, filling his belly with snacks and numerous cups of tea.

After lunch Dinesh took a circuitous route back to his hotel, and checked out at 6 PM. Then he went to one of the transport companies where he used to unload his consignments as a trucker, and managed a trip to Bangalore in one of the trucks. And thus he hitch hiked his way back to Gwalior.)

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“I still have the tapes which I used to record Omkar’s monologue.” Dinesh told Jacob, Puran Singh and Chellappa. “If only I had known the purpose of my being called here I would have brought them along. As I had mentioned before, Omkar’s death was an accident. If my intention had been to kill him, I would have done that long back and that too with ease.

I have told you every thing that I know. Now it is for you to decide my fate.”

Dinesh stopped talking. The room was quiet again. Puran Singh looked at Jacob. Jacob sat playing with the paper weight on Puran Singh’s table. Chellappa kept staring at the floor.

“What time is my train?” Jacob asked Puran.

“Eleven Thirty.” Puran Singh deadpanned.

Jacob looked at the clock on the wall. It showed 9. 45 PM.

“How did you come?” Jacob turned towards Dinesh.

Dinesh frowned for a second.

“Oh I came by Auto.” He replied still puzzled at the question.

Jacob smiled at him.

“Sorry Mr. Dinesh. I don’t have a ticket for you to Chennai.”

Jacob waited for a moment. Dinesh tried to make out what Jacob said.

 “But if you want I shall drop you home on my way back.”

Dinesh closed his eyes. The gesture was so disarming that he dropped his guard. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Chellappa smiled at Jacob. Jacob placed his hand on Dinesh’s back. The tough soldier began sobbing.

A visibly relaxed Puran Singh rang the bell. A constable came in.

“Get some snacks and tea for four.” Puran said. “And ask the driver to be ready to drop Jacob Saab and Chellappa Saab at the station.”

The constable nodded, looked at the weeping Dinesh, shook his head disbelievingly and went out.

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