by Irfan Khan
I set up a fake mail ID on the dark web, which cannot be traced back to me or anyone. I created mails and scheduled them for specific dates and time with the content. The mails would send themselves on scheduled dates. The payment to the cyber cafe was also fed into the bank's app. When my mail is forwarded, my account would get a confirmation. This was the trigger to initiate a money transfer. All this was programmed so it would work even after my death.
Step 5: Acquire weapon.
The hidden cameras helped a lot. I could know about the pistol in the house. Now I had evidence of a weapon. I got hold of the same weapon for my end task. A day before the killing I took the pistol from Reema’s hiding place.
Step 6: Firing Drone Contraption.
I bought a professional level drone. I had some experience with drones when I was teaching Aashar. My final act was rehearsed with the drone. I installed the pistol, which I took from Reema, on the drone. I looped a twine to the trigger and connected the twine to a nail a put in the tree. Now when the drone moves away from the tree, the twine tied to the tree will be pulled resulting in the trigger being pressed and the pistol would fire. The looped twine would unwind as the drone flies away after shooting.
Step 7: Hide evidence.
I had programmed the drone to fly to Hotel Oscar over a bush surrounding it. After hovering on the bush, the pistol would detach from the casing. I had coded it to happen precisely on that location using the GPS coordinates of Hotel Oscar. After that, the drone was to fly away to the center of the lake and hover there at water level till its battery drained and it crashed into the lake forever.
On the D-day, many things had to be put in order. I drove my car to Karan’s office and parked it there. This would attract attention and create suspicion on Karan.
I took a lot of pain killer tablets about an hour before the time of the event. I took the drone and went to the park. I reached the park hitching a ride on a peach truck going out of state. In the park, I waited until I was sure there were no people around. Afternoons in the park were always free of any people.
First, I drove a nail in the tree and tied the twine to it. I used a piece of newspaper to hold the nail and a rock to hammer the nail. I flung these things far away. I had visited this place and measured the exact height of the nail and twine. This was critical as the twine was going to pull the trigger when I would be standing in the position. The drone was operated by an app on my mobile. I had strapped the phone on the drone. All I had to do was start the app and the drone. The drone was programmed to rise to a certain height and then fly forward. I would be placed in the path of the drone with the pistol pointed straight to my head.
I started the drone with the pistol and my mobile attached to it. There was no external controller for the drone. I avoided that as it would be left behind as evidence. I took one last look around, one to see if there are any people watching, and second, this would be my last view of Sugaoni and this world. I put the drone into motion. As it flew up from the ground to the prescribed height I stood there right at the spot where the gun muzzle was. I stood facing the pistol making sure it’s on the target and then turned 180 degrees on the spot so that it pointed to the back of my head. I had programmed the trigger pull in such a way that I would get time to get into position.
Accuracy was critical because I had only one chance. If the positions were not correct then it could be disastrous. I am proud of my skills because it went like clockwork. The drone started and went up and then forward to come right behind my head. I was looking at the drone start and rise when it came forward, I turned around and said to myself “So long, Reema. Bye bye world.” The pistol fired. I died immediately.
I collapsed on the ground. Almost instantly I was back as a spirit. This part I did not foresee. The drone then went towards Hotel Oscar. It was programmed to drop the pistol in the bushes on the wall of the hotel. For some reason, it did not do that but thankfully it dropped the pistol on the roof. After dropping the pistol on the roof, the drone flew towards the lake’s center and hovered till its battery drained and it plunged in the depths along with my mobile phone. I knew the pistol had fingerprints of Reema and Karan. So, the mails reaching the police would inform them of the location of the gun. Along with the sex video, it would be clinching evidence to prosecute them.
I went through the whole thing to make it look like a murder. This I did to punish the people that eclipsed my life of peace. If it looked like a regular suicide then they would be happy and continue their game without an ounce of guilt. But now all the evidence pointed to Reema and Karan. They would have to pay for their indiscretion.
. . .
Epilogue:
Author’s Note:
One Year Later
Chamba Hospital
Reema and Karan were lodged in separate jails in Chamba. The trial was still going on. Karan is using all his might and resources to get free or at least reduce the sentence. Reema’s health has started to deteriorate. She had developed many complications in jail. Based on her health she was moved to a hospital. The office people would often reach out to Reema for guidance. The case was well publicized and all of Sugaoni knew about it.
One day Reema had an unusual visitor. Chitra, the girl from the ‘Star Wars’ cybercafe visited her. The police wouldn’t allow anyone to meet Reema. The girl had a package to deliver. She was escorted by the police constable to Reema’s room. Reema consented to meet Chitra.
Chitra approached the bed slowly and held out a package she held in her arms.
Chitra explained “I have received a package by courier. The package had a note which gave instruction to deliver the package to Mrs. Reema Kumar.” Reema was still blank and trying to comprehend the whole thing.
Chitra continued “I recognized your name from the newspapers. So, I searched through court records to know your location.” Reema was expecting that her name would have become a household name till now.
“Chitra clarifies “I have no idea about the content of the package and I don’t care. I have got paid to deliver it.” She hands over the package and leaves. Reema wanted to know more details but Chitra was in no mood to stay any longer.
Reema opened the package and discovered a mobile phone and charger. There was no clue about who has sent this phone. She connected the phone for charging. After the phone got charged Reema put the phone on. There was nothing on the phone, completely blank. She didn’t understand the meaning of getting the phone. She wondered whether Karan has made an attempt to get connected.
After few minutes the phone rang. It was an unknown number of 4 digits. Reema was not sure if she should answer it. Then she thought maybe if she took the call, it will end the mystery. She picked up the instrument and answered the phone. There was nobody at the other end. She waited a while and thought it was a wrong number. She was about to hang up when she heard the voice
“Hello Reema.”
She dropped the phone in panic. She was shaking furiously with fright on her face. She wanted to just run away from the phone. There was no mistaking that the voice at the other end was of Nikhil. She gathered courage to listen further,
“Don’t be scared. This a recording that I made for you. Now calm down, I have to tell you some things.”
Reema’s hands were still shivering. Her face was pale as she stared blankly.
“I hope you remember today is my death anniversary. As per my calculation you must still be in jail or custody. How could I know that? I had calculated everything. I calculated how much punishment you should be given and when that punishment should stop. You have spent sufficient time behind bars. I put you in jail. Now I will get you out of jail.”
Reema started to comprehend what was being spoken. Her ears perked up when she heard ‘out of jail’.
“Now you are wondering how a dead man can get you out of jail. That is the power of programming, planning and calculations. Reema, you know and I know that you did not fire the pistol nor did Karan. But there are no way y
ou guys could prove your innocence. The truth is that I killed myself.”
Reema let out a loud gasp. Her head was spinning. She could not grasp the gravity of that statement. How could that be possible, she thought.
“To know how I did all that, you will have to wait for Inspector Madhav to arrive. He will come there to tell you that you are innocent. He will receive a video in a minute which will have my confession on camera and the recording of how I created the contraption that fired the pistol at my head and then disappeared.”
“I was really heart broken, Reema. Really upset. You were weak and vulnerable after Aashar’s death but you never considered that I had to look strong because I was your support system. If I showed any weakness, you would have imploded in that tragedy. You succumbed to temptation; I understand that. Its only human. But it’s a mistake only when it happens once, in your case you persisted. If you had told me that you wanted to leave me, maybe I would have understood that too. But what I discovered, which shattered my world, was that you were never in love with me. You had never stopped loving Karan.”
This was the first time Reema was hearing Nikhil talk about this topic. She felt guilty and wished she could reply to him and convince him.
“I may have created the mechanism to kill myself, but I was pushed into that situation because of you. In that sense you are guilty and that’s why you are being punished. When you took a lover, you did not consider that I was left alone and lonelier since Aashar was gone. I could have killed myself without implicating you. But then how would you get a chance to repent. Punishments are given as process of reformation.”
“I believe till now you must have realised the wrong you did to me and regret your actions. I thought deeply about how I could punish you more than what law handed out to you. I know that till the time you believe that someone has framed you, you will feel like a victim. That would be empty justice. Your suffering will be enhanced when you discover that the framing was done by me and the reason was the injustice you meted out to me.”
“In setting you free from the prison, I will be incarcerating you within the walls of guilt. This punishment will last a lifetime. A lifetime to think about your actions and my innocence. Goodbye Reema.”
The phone went dead in her hand. Reema had tears streaming down her cheeks. She was thoroughly confused. She was going to be free from jail but damned for life.
- - -
Chamba Police station
Madhav removes the headphones from his ears and leans back in his chair. He just finished listening to Nikhil’s voice mail confession. He was devastated. His mind was experiencing a storm. He started getting a panic attack. He couldn’t sit in one place any longer. He got up abruptly and walked out of the police station towards the open hilly region. The fresh air made him feel a bit better.
Madhav kept walking but it was aimless strolling. He had no destination in mind. He just wanted to be alone. Ever since he had got solved the Nikhil Kumar murder case, he had been in high spirits. He was given a citation and a medal was also being discussed. The Sugaoni police station wasn’t big enough to get promotion as he was at the highest rung. He was promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Chamba district.
After the Patna debacle this was a great turn of events. He felt redeemed and found his glory that he deserved. All was looking good, except the voice mail confession sent to him. The confession effectively destroys the entire case as he had solved. It was not a murder but a suicide. He should have paid more attention to that nail and string in the tree. He started imagining the ridicule and reversal of the accolades showered on him. He can kiss the promotion good bye. This failure would supersede the debacle of Patna. At least that case was unsolved. This one would become a major harassment. The two people on trial would have to be released from custody.
- - -
Chamba Hospital
Reema had fallen asleep but woke up when she heard her name. She sees Madhav standing near her bedside. She is pleased to see him and had requested the on-duty police to connect with him. She sits up hurriedly and looks at Madhav expectantly.
“How are feeling today?” Madhav asked
Reema excitedly “Good very good, thank you.” She started looking around for the mobile phone that she received earlier. She couldn’t find it anywhere. She rummaged through her quilt and bed and then got up from the bed pulling the quilt and waving it to find the phone. Madhav looks on amusingly and says “What’s the matter, can I help you with something.”
Reema is almost in tears “I had a phone here, where did it go?”
Madhav replies calmly “What phone? You are not supposed to have a phone. Where did you get a phone from?” Madhav walks to the door and calls out the police on duty “Who gave her a phone? Where were you when this happened?” The constable looks puzzled “Sir, I was here all the time. She had a visitor in the afternoon.”
Reema is sitting on the bed looking devastated. She adds in “A lady came to deliver the phone that she received from an anonymous source.” Madhav walks back towards her. She continues “The phone had an internet link which I clicked on and an audio file started playing. It was Nikhil’s voice and he explained how I was innocent and actually he killed himself but framed me because he was upset with me.”
Madhav chuckles “Looks like you have seen a dream. You are so stressed about being punished that you are dreaming of how you can be proved innocent.”
Reema looks at him unbelievably “He also said that you will also receive that audio file in your email. Inspector, did you check your email.”
Madhav pulls out his mobile and looks at his mail. Reema looks on expectantly. Madhav shakes his head “Nothing. I did not receive anything. Reema, get a hold on yourself. I will ask the doctors to give you some sedatives. I think you might need some psychiatric counselling too.”
Reema can’t believe her ears “are you suggesting that I am going crazy? I swear the phone was right here and I heard Nikhil’s voice mail. He explained that I am innocent. He committed suicide. There is a drone and his mobile somewhere in the lake. Please believe me.”
Madhav takes her hand and pats it softly “I believe you but the judge will want the evidence, the phone and the voice mail. We don’t have any of that. What will I tell the judge.?”
Reema slumps into herself. All the euphoria she felt in the last few hours has now dissipated. She starts to feel giddy and falls on the bed. Madhav calls for help and a nurse assists him to make Reema comfortable. Madhav instructs the nurse “Please give her some sedatives for a few days as she is feeling extreme trauma. I will call the doctor and instruct him too.” Madhav walks out of the room.
Madhav knew about the phone reaching Reema. The constable has reported that. When he reached the room and saw that Reema was sleeping, he picked up the phone and kept it in his pocket. Just then Reema had woken up. Madhav had the piece of evidence which could prove Reema as innocent but also add a blot to his career. Madhav convinced himself that Reema was debauch who had driven her husband to suicide. Why should she be allowed to be free? In any case they could press for charges under Section 306 for ‘abetment to suicide.” That would also give her 10 years imprisonment. Madhav managed to agree with himself that he has done the right thing.
A red-light car was waiting for Madhav to take him to his Assistant commissioner office. He fondled the mobile hiding in his pocket. That feels good, he thought to himself. He silently thanked Nikhil for his part in the success he was enjoying.
* * *
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Irfan Khan is a film, TV and Digital content Producer/Director who has directed two feature films, 250+ TV shows and hundreds of digital video content. Known for his path breaking show “Superhit Muqabla” which was India’s first countdown show. His feature film “Bullet Ek Dhamaka” produced in Bulgaria, was distributed by 20th Century Fox. He conceptualized and scripted most of the content created by him. He is also a technology enthusiast to the extent that his concept of AI based
Profiling and Recommendation engine, won the top prize of a startup tech contest ‘Power of Ideas’ conducted by IIM A and The Economic Times of India funded by Department of Science and Technology – Government of India.
This is his first published book.
