Chaits was uncomfortably lying on the bed when he saw 3 bags of which one was packed & one not filled completely.
He got up to take a closer look – what Alisha said seemed to be true – she had packed her bags to go with him – but why was she tense? What was making her so tense? Is the thought of meeting Pinky – face to face – getting on her nerves – if so – then why was she evading police? Something didn’t fit – it seemed like a jigsaw puzzle – you try to solve one side – other gets messed up completely…
He looked around for more clues that’d tell him what actually was wrong… He was thus looking when his sight caught a folder that lay on a stool with an unwashed coffee mug along for its company…
He could make it out that Alisha has been working on this folder for some time – especially the mug still had stains of coffee which were now sticky – not dry.
Hmm – this folder can give me a clue she must’ve been working on since yesterday…
Chaits paused for a moment – he knew that the folder was official work of Alisha & he’d no business to go through its contents without Alisha’s permission…
But then, he was her best friend, right? That gave him the permission to go through any official or personal documentation – if that’s going to help him solve Alisha’s problem….
‘Alisha – I’m sorry – but I got to look at this folder without your permission’ he said to himself & sat on the bed going through the content.
It made no sense to him the folder seemed to be a collection of Extreme Criminal events in and around Mumbai… ‘Is she trying or planning a sting operation in Mumbai?’ he wondered as he carefully began reading from page #1 – again – ‘this will surely give me clue to her tensions & I know the city & surroundings well enough to understand what it could lead to…’
He started reading all instances that were covered by the newspaper cuttings she had carefully filed…
But, first things first… he needed Priti to know that Alisha would accompany him & they’d be meeting – face to face… He looked at his mobile & saw the battery blinking “Damn! The battery has to be low at this time?” He was too tired to get up & search his bag to find the charger…
He dialled Pinky’s number keeping his fingers crossed that the battery doesn’t give up before he finishes his call… ‘The number you’re trying to reach either has roamed out of coverage area or is switched off… please try again later’ said a monotonous voice at other end & disconnected the call… “Damn! Pinky… Where are you roaming? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you since I landed in Chennai” said Chaits frustrated that he wasn’t able to reach Priti…
Then he thought & dialled his friends one by one – all calls ending with some result & the same monotonous voice cutting his calls…
“Darn!” said Chaits again as his frustration level grew & even as he was trying to find ways… the battery in his mobile threw up a beep & died out.
“Where the hell is everybody? I can’t reach Pinky – I can’t reach Chaps, Payal, Deb, Natasha or Amit… Alisha’s here & acting funny enough for me to get nervous – and now the darned battery has died on me… It was so nice before I left for the world tour – what’s changed in past six months – rather over the past week?”
Chaits was thus wondering when his hands suddenly reminded him he was holding Alisha’s folder…
That set him – thinking again – ‘Why’s Alisha so tense? Why’s she running away from cops? Why’re her bags packed? Why’s she applied for leaves? Why’s she coming with him to Sundernagar ? Why does she want to meet Pinky & my other friends – so desperately? Why’s she tense to meet Pinky? Why does she collect criminal news items from Mumbai & around? Why?’
He was looking at ever growing set of questions – and there was no answer…. He sipped at water from the bottle that was lying around & said, “I got lot of questions. I need an answer to – let me start sorting them out -one by one – I’m here & Alisha’s here – so let’s get the answer to the questions about her – and when I reach Sundernagar – I’ll find out what’s wrong – over there…”
He was now calm as he now, at least, had sorted out the sequence of questions he was asking so long… He sat down & took the folder in his hands & started reading it again this time he wanted to read every word & analyse Alisha’s tension…
‘Gruesome Murder of a city doctor… Dr. Batliwalla was found stabbed multiple times to death in his garage. He was a messiah to lot people who he had treated for accidents, burns. He was ace physician, an ace who artistically had repaired many damaged faces. He was the best in his field. He owned a rehabilitation hospital that provided services like refiguring & uplifting of faces & providing artificial limbs to people who’d lost them – he was an ace Cosmetic Surgeon. However, the police now have doubts about his clean image… If he owned a huge cosmetic surgery clinic, why did he keep a fully functional operation theatre in his garage – and who were his customers who he operated on in his garage? Why were no notes or information kept about the people he operated on in his garage? Lot of questions – keep reading this column for further updates.’
Why has Alisha kept this item filed? Is she going to Mumbai to investigate this – he was about to turn the page over when he read the headline of another item below….
“Most hunted criminal commits suicide. About 11.20 pm. last night – the most hunted criminal of Sundernagar committed suicide by jumping in front of a speeding train…
Chaits’ interest grew at the mention of Sundernagar as his thoughts crossed the barrier of time of wandered to into his college days… “Hmmm… So Kingpin has committed suicide – poor Vicky, he’s left with no Godfather now – he must be repenting his decision of getting into criminal activities – if only he’d heeded my warnings & gave in to all my pleadings – he would have been a different person now…” thought Chaits sympathising with his boxing trainee.
He almost fell down as he read further…
“Lucky – a college dropout was charged with mass murder of his rivals for losing college elections last Sunday. There was a massive man hunt launched for him & his aide Vicky & his band of hooligan thugs. Lucky was not a regular criminal & his conscience clearly hit back at his inhuman deed… he could not bear the pressure of being a man hunted with his friends who were hard core criminals – so he committed suicide” his brother quoted to the press.
“Lucky! Charged with mass murder? Oooooh! Times change & so do people – but I know Lucky – a rat like him can hire hooligans – he wouldn’t dare to kill anyone – it must’ve been Vicky & his friends’ thought Chaits as he read further…
‘Lucky was nice & friendly person and so was being elected every year by students as their natural leader” his businessman turned politician father spoke to press after this incident – One rotten mango can rot the whole crate this old saying has been proved by his deeds. I’m sure my boy was dragged into this affair by Vicky who’s now a well-known criminal. In fact, I’ve every reason to believe that Lucky was murdered by Vicky & his friends by throwing him to front of the running train. He must have decided to come clean and surrender to law this must have irked his criminal friends who till now have evaded police due to lack of proof. I’ve requested home ministry of complete and fair investigation & stern action against Vicky & his thugs…’ Police aren’t denying this angle that Lucky could possibly have been murdered.
What they are confused about is Lucky’s body was found in totally unrecognisable and mauled condition as the train passed over him… he was identified by his purse & other belongings Why was he wearing Bhagnani hospital’s clothes – why was he admitted there? There’s no record of him being admitted there… This hospital is funded by his father’s party’ Mr Ramprasad who’s the opposition political candidate quoted to us…
“I’d like to demand an inquiry of this incidence – my opposition friend must have helped him hide from police by using the clout he has over Bhagnani Hospital”
Sr Inspector Gawde said that police have launched a massive manhunt for Vicky & his friends & they were leaving no stone unturned to find them. Vicky, apart from these murders as also alleged to be highly active in drug pedalling & smuggling racket…
Keep reading this column for more updates…
“Oh! My God!” sighed Chaits “Sundernagar was a protected paradise when I graduated – it’s changed – and yes people I knew have changed too but then I think I’ll agree to what Lucky’s father said – Lucky is a rat & had no heart enough to fight, leave alone the thought of killing anyone – it must’ve been Vicky who must have pulled all the strings & dragged Lucky in this matter.”
Hmm – Alisha has seen these people’s pictures when I related my past to her – is this why she’s so nervous? If so – then I’ll have to explain her that she need not worry – they’d still be scared of me and being away for so long would know that I’m not a part of college anymore…
Chaits turned the page over…. Now, he was interested in happenings at Sundernagar & was searching for more news items that covered Sundernagar… And he did find another item on the next filed page…..
“Sundernagar seems to be in news for all wrong reasons – first there was a mass murder of college students – people are yet to digest the facts when we got reports of a missing dead body from Bhagnani Hospital. Bhagnani Hospital is already under scan for doubtful medical practices when Mr Tayal last week accused the hospital for illegally removing his wife’s kidney. Now missing dead body has raised further doubts about the affairs in the hospital. Had the body been deliberately disposed to hide the removal of vital organs like kidney & eyes? This is more because of court verdict that every body that’s handed over by Bhagnani management had to undergo autopsy at Shushrusha Hospital for a check that no part was illegally removed. Keep reading this column for more updates…
“Huff!” that’s all Chaits could exclaim as he started turning the leaf over to the next one – wondering what had gone wrong with Sundernagar…
He turned the leaf over & started reading…
“Hardly three days have passed since the gory event of mass murder of college students & the miscreants are still absconding. Police are now confirming doubts that this could have been due to rivalry among groups in college elections.
The prime accused Lucky was seen leaving the town but police confirm that he or his accomplice Vicky couldn’t have left the town as they had been checking every face that’s entered or left the town – a massive man hunt has been launched to arrest them.
Mr Patel of Patel Industries has announced a reward of 1 crore to the person who’d give information that’d lead to the arrest of these scoundrels.
Keep reading for more updates…
“Hmm… I feel proud of my ‘To be Father-in-Law’. He really cares for the society and the image of the institution.” thought Chaits
‘Well – no doubt – Ms Alisha Fire is interested in accompanying me to Sundernagar with all these happenings – and she’s supposed to be what she is – Ms Alisha Fire – the best crime reporter in this country…!’
He turned over a leaf…
“Mass Massacre at Jungle Homes”
Sundernagar – a peaceful industrial & educational township woke up to what seemed a worst crime scene in the history of this country. A group of students who’d gone for a picnic to celebrate results did not return as planned – they were brutally murdered & burnt to ashes.
This happened at a location known as Jungle Homes situated in the jungles in close proximity of this township.
The first report confirms that this was schemed and plotted by Lucky & Vicky who were college drop outs.
They were put up at Jungle Homes as they planned this gory incident. These thugs left & checked out of Jungle Homes an hour before the other group arrived. This seemed to be well planned in advance as the security & the Staff catering to guests at Jungle Homes was found unconscious, knocked out with some drug…
It seems that Lucky, Vicky and his thugs, stayed overnight at Jungle Homes which is fairly unoccupied during this season. They made friends with unsuspecting staff and made sure that they drugged them before leaving. The drug was administered through sweets they distributed claiming flying coloured results in their Exams.
The drug took effect around midnight when they returned. They had left one of their accomplices behind to open the gate to Jungle Homes… After making sure that the entire staff & security was knocked out they proceeded with their gory plan.
They brutally murdered the rival group from their college & then set fire to the hutment to make it seem like an accident.
Their plan may have worked but for the surveillance camera that captured their return after midnight & they were unaware of change in security staff that takes place at 4 am every day.
Their car was identified by the security personnel who passed them as they turned from the jungle to highway.
The security personnel were aghast as the saw raging inferno in the premise & called for help from fire brigade & police.
The names of unfortunate victims are Deb Kumar Mukherjee, Natasha Singh, Amit Patwardhan, Chapps Rathod, Payal Thakur & Priti Patel as identified by their college friends… “They were shifted to Shushrusha Hospital in critical condition…”
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