STORY-DETECTIVE

I was driving my new Maruthi car, gifted to me by my father on my twentieth birth day, when the road was blocked by people standing on the road.  I stopped the car and got down from it. I pushed through the crowd and was shocked by the sight of a man lying on the road, bleeding profusely. I went near him and found him, still breathing. I tried to lift him, when others also joined me and we took him to the car and laid him in the back seat. We went to the nearest Hospital and got him examined in the casualty ward. He was unconscious. I went to the ATM and withdrew fifty thousand and came back. Meanwhile, Police arrived and examined his personal things like watch, mobile phone etc. My companion told them what had happened:”I was coming to the market. This man was going on his bike, when, suddenly two men following him on another bike shot him from behind and went away, before the people came to know what had happened”. “Who are you?”, the inspector asked me.” “I am not related to him. When the man was bleeding, I thought it wise to give him medical aid”

“Still we could not save him; he is dead,” the Doctor said. He asked me to  come to the Office. There they told me to deposit Rs. Ten thousand immediately. I argued that it is a public case and the government must ay. Before I could pay it, the Inspector took me to the police Station, along with my companion, and took our statements. We exchanged our mobile numbers and I went home. My father appreciated my prompt action.  I thought about the happenings of the day and wished that my father need not have given my birth day gift!

Next day, the Inspector told me the dead man was working in the forest department and his mother wanted to met meet me, giving his quarter number and phone number. I called the mother and immediately went to meet her. “Thank you, daughter, we are thankful to you.” She started weeping. Slowly she became all right and said:”Vishnu has many enemies, because he was strict and would not allow illegal cutting of trees etc. I am sure they killed him. You are educated. Please take it up with the authorities.” I consoled  her and came back.

Then some officers of the Forest  Department also met me. I asked them about Vishnu’s activities in general. “He used to write poetry. He published them in a book. He used to go to Maharajas College at Ernakulam, very often.”

I thought it important and went to  the college. People in the academic sections had never heard of this man. I enquired among students.  I was about to come back empty handed, when the Librarian asked me who I am and what  I wanted to do here. I told her my mission. She asked me to come to the canteen where she became expansive about Vishnu.”We were friends, In fact, a bit too intimate. He showed some letters he got from unknown persons.” “Were the letters handwritten?” I interrupted her. “No.” “Still, they may be useful. Can you show me?”

She told me to come the next day, because the letters are in her home. So I spent the day in a hotel and again met her in he college. She reluctantly, gave me some private letters also, with a request that all letters must be kept confidential. I told her: ”You know that now it is a police case. So every bit of information may become useful. Do not worry about it. Our interest is in pinpointing the culprits.” I thanked her and came back.

My father was angry:”Are you crazy? Let the Police do the investigation. Why do you fret about it?”

I went to the Police Station and handed over the letters. He was surprised:”You have done more work than my assistants. By the way, we have discovered the gun used in the attack. It was thrown into the bush, near the road. The weapon is an important piece of evidence. Now, with these letters, we hope to gather more information about the killers and their boss. Madam, you are too young; How do you work like an experienced detective?”

“I like to read Sherlock Holms, the famous English author. I like to work in this field; will you recommend to the authorities?”

“Oh sure”,  he said and we shook hands. The forest officers collected money to fight this case. They met me and asked whether I would like to share with them, any information I may be having. I thanked and told them I was interested only in taking him to the Hospital on humanitarian grounds.

First one man was nabbed; he was a peon, in the forest department  itself. He gave clues about others and the two, who did the murder were charged and produced before the Magistrate.

During the hearing, the judge praised my role, in turning the investigation in the right direction. I stood up and bowed to him. The whole Court reverberated with the thunderous applause I received !