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The mysterious killer sack - a serial story

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by sureshmiyer, Jan 4, 2012.

  1. sureshmiyer

    sureshmiyer Silver IL'ite

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    The vegetable seller Nandu was sitting crouched in the corner of the station. He was sitting for hours waiting for Circle Inspector Mokashi. It was a bustling scene at the Police Station in Javhar Taluka, a coastal town in the Konkan belt of Maharashtra and the time appeared to be standing still. It looked like early morning though it was well past noon due to foggy conditions and the winter chill was keeping most of the people indoors. It was feeling rather hot in the Police Station as two to three women were shouting out their grievances, while many were waiting for their complaints to be heard. The cases were mainly civil in nature or lost complaints which kept the staff inside the station irritated. The anger was reflected on those inside the lockup, who were given a sound thrashing making it really noisy and chaotic. Many were waiting for Mokashi. He was very much inside the cabin but remained invisible.

    Mokashi had just given his papers for V.R.S. and was awaiting voluntary retirement in three months. Twenty five years service in various Police Stations across the state right from the post of Sub Inspector was taking a toll on him as if he had spent more than 60 years in service. He had a wry smile as he was rotating the paper weight meaninglessly and was getting increasingly impatient as his orderly Sachin came rushing inwards with a glass of water and a Saridon tablet. Mokashi desperately needed it as his headache was worsening. Sachin gently reminded him of Nandu waiting inside. Mokashi looked for a while and told Sachin to call Nandu inside.

    “Look, no more persons I would be seeing today. Tell anyone, I am on an urgent meeting.”

    “Yes Sir”

    Sachin saluted Mokashi and rushed out.

    Mokashi was not in a mood to work anymore. The murder of the daughter Ananya of the Village Sarpanch Vikas Patil on 24th December was taking a toll on him. It was a simple case of a secret love affair between Ananya and a city boy. While they were secretly meeting in a secluded field, it seemed that there was a tiff between Ananya’s lover and another boy over Ananya and in the ensuing fight, the neck of Ananya’s lover was sliced and she was stabbed multiple times and the killer fled from the spot.

    “These city boys, Damn it.”

    Mokashi had a deep hatred for the cityfolk. Interestingly, he was born and brought up in Mumbai though his work necessitated him to move around districts and villages. No one cares a damn for the other in Mumbai but the village people respected him and pampered him akin to God. He appeared like a Messiah for them as they saw him as the ultimate judge and protector of law and order. It was another matter that Mokashi did not have a good record of investigating cases, which often earned him the displeasure of his seniors and he was shunted from district to district before he landed up in this district of Ratnagiri near Javhar Taluka for the last five years. Mokashi was comfortable issuing orders to the sub inspectors but the murder of the Sarpanch’s daughter in Javhar Taluka made him rush towards the spot and camp at Javhar Taluka till the case is solved. Mokashi had enough of this. His style of working was very secluded and he did not involve many and shared with them any work details.

    The Police Constables hated him as Mokashi would not spend a paisa from his pocket. The gullible villagers, however, had enough respect for Mokashi. The murder case involving the daughter of the village Sarpanch was not an open and shut case, though he made it to look like one. Mokashi was good in fabricating stories rather than scientifically investigating the case and getting to the root of it. It was very much evident that there was a tiff between the boy and the killer that led to the murder, but the case did not appear to be as simple as Mokashi was making it out to be. He knew the cooking up of a triangle love story was enough to silence the Village Sarpanch. The Village Sarpanch had a sprawling bungalow at Javhar Taluka and did not want his name to be maligned as the Panchayat elections were around the corner and the clandestine love affair of his daughter will serve fodder for his opponents to cook stories and tarnish his reputation. Reputation and pride mattered most for Vikas Patil.

    What was deeply worrying Mokashi at the moment was that the killer
    could not be traced despite 48 hours of the incident. Sub Inspector Bhalerao, a young and dashing officer, who had just taken over the charge of Javhar Police Station was busy alongwith the team trying to probe any leads from the gruesome murder. The Sarpanch was not having faith in Bhalerao and the local
    reporters were hounding Mokashi. The Sarpanch wanted this matter to be finished with and at the same time had vowed revenge against the killer.

    “Bring me the head of the killer of my daughter Ananya, or else I won’t spare you.”

    Mokashi was staring at the ceiling and pondering over things before he
    could notice Nandu the vegetable seller, who was standing still before him.
    Nandu was standing before Mokashi for around half an hour and Mokashi
    was not even noticing him.

    Mokashi noticed Nandu.

    “Sit down”

    Nandu crouched himself on the floor with tears in his eyes.

    “Saab, give back my things.”

    “When did the theft happen?”

    “Three days back”

    “I mean, on 23rd night?”

    “Yes Saab. Bhalerao Saab told me to meet you.”

    Mokashi looked indifferent and told his orderly Sachin to bring the recovered stolen things.

    A local thief had barged into Nandu’s house at night from the tiled rooftop and stole a small trunk containing a necklace, bangles, ring, a wristwatch and a sack full of vegetables when Nandu and his pregnant wife Sunanda were fast asleep. As soon as Sunanda woke up and screamed in fear, the thief ran away through the door before Nandu could gather himself and catch him. The neighbors around had woken up to the cries but the thief was smarter and faster.

    “Are you sure, these are the things,” quipped Mokashi as his orderly Sachin placed the things carefully on the table.

    “Yes saab, but the bag is not mine”, said Nandu holding back his tears. Based on the description of eye witnesses and the modus operandi used by thief Khandu, Bhalerao’s men had immediately apprehended Khandu the very next day who confessed to the crime. By this time, the news of murder of Ananya shook the quiet town of Javhar and took precedence over all things. Mokashi instructed Bhalerao to rush to the spot and report to him, as he proceeded towards the Javhar Police Station from Ratnagiri. Meanwhile Khandu was kept in custody. He was to be produced in court and expectedly released on bail.

    Mokashi personally inspected the theft items. He even went to Khandu’s house on the outskirts of Javhar and searched but found nothing. Khandu had a long history of petty crimes in and around Ratnagiri District, but he had claimed to have reformed himself few years ago, after he spent nearly one year in jail. Nandu had also claimed that a sack full of vegetables was also missing but a bag containing waste articles, newspapers and used items were recovered from Khandu and Khandu kept denying it.

    Mokashi told his orderly Sachin to take back the things and told Nandu,

    “Look, you are fortunate. Due to the alertness of our Police, you are going to get your valuables soon. Forget about the bag and take whatever you get.”

    Nandu got up and held the hands of Mokashi in gratitude. But he could not control his tears as he was crying bitterly.

    “I think we have traced the killer.” Bhalerao rushed inside the cabin. Mokashi gestured Nandu to move out.

    “What do you say?” Mokashi quipped.

    “I say it with conviction. Do you know about the rickshaw accident yesterday. The passenger who was sitting inside the rickshaw which collided with the public bus succumbed to injuries today. He does not belong to this area, and I have strong suspicion that he is related to the murder.”

    “How can you say that?”

    “I have got hold of his cellphone and a RailwayPass that belongs to Mumbai. I am personally looking into this matter and will confirm it soon.” said Bhalerao.

    “Go ahead.”

    Bhalerao continued, “We have also traced the knife and our medical tests will confirm the link of this accident victim to the murder. We have also found a sack full of vegetables near the site of murder and no one has claimed it. I recall Nandu telling something about a sack full of vegetables stolen from his house.”

    Mokashi, “Keep the bag in custody. We will question Nandu and Khandu about it separately..”

    Bhalerao, “Yes Sir.”



    [THE STORY CONTINUES....WATCH OUT FOR THE NEXT PART]
    [/SIZE]
     
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  2. passionate89

    passionate89 Platinum IL'ite

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    Very interesting... :) eagerly waitin to read the next part :D
     
  3. sureshmiyer

    sureshmiyer Silver IL'ite

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    hi passionate89

    i have written short stories but never written a long one
    i will continue this series step by step, so keep watching
    in case you find any flaw in narration or loopholes in plot
    do say

    warm regards
    Suresh
     
  4. shashiv

    shashiv Gold IL'ite

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    Very interesting story....waiting for the next post....



    Shanti
     
  5. sureshmiyer

    sureshmiyer Silver IL'ite

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    hi shanti

    thanks for your comments

    cheers
    suresh
     
  6. sudhakrishna

    sudhakrishna Gold IL'ite

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    Slow start. Marching steadily. Can't move my eyes without reading fully. Wooofff... the stroy continues. Please tell us the end. nicely narrated
     
  7. sureshmiyer

    sureshmiyer Silver IL'ite

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    hi sudha

    sorry for keeping the readers waiting
    The second part will be posted soon
    thanks for liking the story so far

    warm regards
    Suresh
     
  8. sureshmiyer

    sureshmiyer Silver IL'ite

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    Dear friends

    do read my second part of the above story
    and offer your critical views

    cheers
    suresh
     
  9. sureshmiyer

    sureshmiyer Silver IL'ite

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    do read my next two chapters
    awaiting your feedback

    cheers
    suresh
     

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