Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The button

Inspector Khanna was in a corner of Green garden bar leisurely sipping whisky diluted with water. There was nothing to give away that he was a policeman. He looked a sturdy body builder in his blue jeans and T shirt that scarcely concealed his slightly protruding tummy. The sense of urgency and anxiety in his face could be seen through the façade of calm as his eyes repeatedly flitted between the entrance to the bar and  inside. The Commissioner wanted the case cracked within  two days and from his tone he could feel the pressure on him from very top source.
The headlines of dailies and the TV channels were already screaming loud about the fifth rape within a month and the total lack of safety on the roads for women after dusk. It looked as though in public eye the police were either complicit by their indifference or indirectly responsible for the occurrence of every assault on women. A young woman in mid twenties was dragged two days before into a moving vehicle around 8pm in a busy thoroughfare and gang raped by three individuals before dropping her around 1 am in the outskirts of the city. A PCR van noticed the unconscious woman on the road and admitted her in a hospital. Gang rape was confirmed by the hospital
Normally after initial media attention and the frenzy it created, such news fades away from public memory when another important or titillating news claims precedence. But in this case the highly qualified and working woman happened to be politically connected. The woman could not give much lead as it was dark in the vehicle except three young men between 25 and  30 were involved and that one who raped her first had a button on one ear. She could not remember their faces or the make of the car but said it was a big one as they raped her in the rear seat. Police had announced a reward of five lakhs from her parents for a clue that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators
Khanna had received a call from an unknown informant to come to Green garden bar at 9 pm and that he would help him in identifying the rogues. The bar was busy with many tables occupied. It was 9pm and there was no semblance of the informant. Khanna had given him details of what he would be wearing. He looked around lazily. He saw some couples, some girls in different groups, three young men at another corner and an old man with loud voice demanding immediate attention. These were besides three plain clothes men whom Khanna had asked to occupy vantage points. They were armed.
It was nearing 930 p.m. Khanna was restless and wondered whether the call was a hoax. After 15 minutes he asked the waiter to bring his bill. After a couple of minutes the waiter went first  to the three men to give their bill and then came to Khanna with his bill.
When Khanna opened the folder, he saw a slip “The three men in black, orange T shirt and one in kurta at the other corner are your quarry” The waiter had left the table in the meanwhile. As Khanna stood up, his men also stood at different tables. As Khanna closed in with his hand on his hip towards the three young men, they took out their revolvers and shot at random to scare him away. But Khanna’s men unnoticed by them shot them dead. Two were shot in chest and the third got shot at his jaw ripping the ear and smashing the face and head.Everyone had seen the three started firing first.
Khanna beamed with satisfaction and told the customers who were huddled in a corner “All is over. It is safe now. Carry on.” After his men took the bodies in an ambulance to hospital, he left the scene happily having accomplished his mission of nabbing the three wanted culprits, dead or alive.
After everyone had left the restaurant, the waiter took the button from his pocket and wore it on his ear.



19 comments:

  1. OMG ! That was cunning, and scary. You outdo yourself everytime, Sir. Superbly narrated ! :)

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  2. Omg that was wily. U r getting better with each story - the plot the narration.

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  3. I 'm in a dazed state that I find it hard to comment.

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  4. OMG Scary it was and what a twist in the end!!!!
    Yet again proved that you are the Master Story teller!!!

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  5. This story was good. I did expect some kind of double cross (knowing about your twists in the end). Only thing is, readers could have been informed who the three young men actually were - of course, we assume some kind of gang rivalry.

    As an afterthought: Shooting at spot without making any kind of enquiry is difficult to believe. Although, I did believe it when I read it above.

    Destination Infinity

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  6. The shock is yet to recede! A very good twist in the story!

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  7. They would have caught by his men and waited for evidence. Till they are proved innocent,the boss wouldn't have pressurized him. Interestingly penned in a detailed way ,but sad.

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  8. may be we need more n more such daring officers in our police force...

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  9. Loved reading it .....especially the scenario where there is pressure by the higher authorities, and also the reality of today's society where law and order seems dwarf in front of the culprits' minds.....

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  10. You are beating your bests of bests, way to go! Keep inspiring!

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  11. Enjoyed reading it, esp the last line.

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  12. Whoa! KP...didn't expect the last line! You are one master story teller!

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  13. what a twist!! I am still staring at the last line...

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  14. Marvelous KP! Well executed! :) Thank you. I am a big fan of the programs Crime Patrol (Sony TV) and Savdhaan India (Life OK Channel) and your post was superbly done!

    :-)

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  15. Oh my God !!! The last line took my breath away ....

    GP I love your stories and your write ups and await eagerly for you to read mine too:)
    I want to gift you with the Sunshine Award ....hope you accept it :)

    http://drsushreedash.blogspot.in/2014/04/here-comes-my-first-blog-award.html

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  16. I love crime patrols :) enjoyed reading ur post !

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  17. That was brilliant, KP. Truly a twist in the tale!

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  18. A true blend of fact and fiction , the current state of affairs ending with the big bang twist.

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