The Miss India Murders

by Gauri Sinh

  ‘Shilpi, Shilpi, Shilpi …’ Lubaina was chanting groggily.

  ‘Aunt L? Your daughter is dead!’ Nina turned on her, suddenly vicious in defeat. ‘My name is Laddo.’

  I handed Brij the torch, left him to deal with the aftermath of this situation as I raced to the stage. I would not be competing in the final sequence, even though they’d called my name. This was Akruti’s dream, not mine, I had raced so fast outside only so I could support her—as she had supported me this entire mess through, despite the fact that her ambition lay elsewhere.

  As I reached the wings, I heard the question the judge asked her boom over the mic:

  ‘What two qualities should a Miss India winner most possess?’

  Akruti could’ve said anything—wisdom to save the world, bravery to change it, sympathy, empathy for those less fortunate. But her mind, she later said, only led her to what had transpired seconds before.

  She could not forget the fierce pride in Brij’s eyes when he looked at me as I introduced them. ‘I could not forget you!’ she told me. ‘That grace under pressure, even as we desperately tried to survive. Your outer calm, masking all that was furiously at play in your mind. A beacon of hope for me in that awful nightmare, whether fighting physically to free us or then appearing to stay passive, even though strategizing internally. The person with me all the way in time of danger—all the way, so I knew it, felt it, was buoyed by it.’

  Akruti smiled at the judge, from onstage, her magnificent gown ablaze in the spotlight. For the first time, free of all the worry and work pressure, I realized the effect her surreal beauty could have on people. Then I heard her answer vibrate through me as she was handed the mic.

  ‘She should possess presence of mind and common sense. So, if heaven forbid, there is darkness, she can lead the way out of it, find the light with ease. Her practicality and good sense a magnet, a moral compass that will help and guide all to stand together as one. After all, don’t all roads, all religions, all paths ultimately lead to oneness?

  There was complete silence in the amphitheatre, a pin drop silence. Then applause broke out, so thunderous it drowned the music around us. There wasn’t a person in the auditorium who didn’t know that answer was worthy of the Miss India 1995 crown, though the judges hadn’t even marked her on her reply yet. Despite all that had happened, and the later that would follow—tonight would be Akruti’s night, after all.

  31

  Akruti

  That moment, the moment when the compere said ‘Miss India 1995 is … the lovely Akruti Rai!’ that moment—I’ll remember it forever. So many times had I imagined it coming to pass, each time in a different manner, that when it finally truly did—it was almost anti-climatic.

  I say almost, because truth be told, I soaked it all in like a grateful sponge, I’ll admit it, every second of it. This was one dream I’d nurtured and pursued despite all misgiving, all doubt and yes, a trio of murders. Not to mention the risk to my own life and the rather close shave Parvati and I had managed to come through, shaken but miraculously unharmed.

  But it had happened finally, complete with the glittering crown and the flower bouquet and the confetti and bursting crackers, so pretty out in the open air. And no matter how it had happened—I was conscious of the fact that I was now, for a brief spell, very much in my best and brightest dream … living it.

  Anyone who has ever wanted something badly, and luck and hard work conspire to grant it when that want is yet current—they would understand the depth of my feeling. Also that it would outlast the moment. It would be immortalized, imprinted in mind’s eye as a sweet spot, forever more. As a guiding light, a ray of sunshine to inspire one’s future self, or to compare other victories to, in the days ahead.

  To make this time even more special, as I walked my victory lap to the very top of the long ramp, I caught the eye of a very important person in the press box right up front—Jehaan, clapping so hard his hands would be sore the following day. I waved to him and smiled, so the photographer next to him, from Bharat 360, got a nice shot … and sashayed back to stage in full ‘own the room’ mode.

  That night though, was a tad bittersweet in a rather bizarre way. Nina, murderous, tipped-over-the-edge Nina, who I had left semi-conscious in the phone room for Parvati’s brother Brij to deal with—her idol SRK, Saurav Roop Kamal, also happened to be present at the finale. There as a special guest, in fact, both to be feted himself, as well as to fete the newly crowned Miss India. He hadn’t a clue how his very aura had driven a poor girl insane.

  ‘Congratulations,’ he smiled at me on the podium, his too-beautiful face alight, as he handed me a bouquet under the lights. I acknowledged his greeting with a tiny smile. I really couldn’t bring myself to be more effusive, not right then, thinking of Nina and her warped obsessiveness for him, a passion that had destroyed so many young lives all too quickly. We didn’t interact much that night, just posed for the flashbulbs and went our own ways. Later, our paths would cross again, but that story I shall leave for another time.

  Not counting that one encounter, the rest of that night was sparkling. A moment of immense personal victory, and I intended to milk it for all it was worth. And apparently it was worth a whole lot, as I found out later that evening.

  Parvati located me when I finally had a moment, once the interviews and congratulations were done. Earlier, I had had an altogether-too brief tête-à-tête with Jehaan, but it was restricted to congratulatory exchanges, I was pulled away almost immediately. Nature of my job, and I knew Jehaan understood perfectly. There would be time enough later for deeper conversations.

  My parents, watching the contest live on television from the comfort of their living room, were both proud and emotional when they spoke to me on the phone after. Most gratifying for me, because they too, like Jehaan had come to take my blitzkrieg career for granted for a time.

  And dear Avi, the person I owed special thanks to, for his fulsome support and loyalty, such a comfort to me when I had real need of it. Not just overtly, in professional terms, as in his envisioning of my dream dress for the contest. Or placing me centre stage when he could, in ramp sequences, or making sure to check my final prep before the finale. But more so where it counted, when he revealed to me in confidence that the police had found my fingerprints on Lajjo’s murder weapon. He need not have, warning a police suspect was risky in that overall atmosphere of suspicion and fear. But he did. And he expressed even more support after telling me, showing me in one move where his trust and allegiance lay. That instance alone, more than all the rest, sealed for me the depth of our bond.

  Anyway, we hugged, Avi and I, and shed a few generally fraught tears. It was a big moment after all, in the grand scheme of my modelling career, and he had been my mentor for much of it. Our shared spell of triumph was brief though, as with Jehaan, there were too many people vying for my attention. We would catch up properly later.

  In the hurly burly of posing for pictures, I hadn’t really met the rest of my fellow contestants after my win either. But I recall catching my roomie Roxanne’s eye, as she filed out with the rest, leaving me to enjoy centre stage as Miss India 1995. And I know what was conveyed in her quick wink was pure goodwill, a joyous camaraderie, as if she was genuinely happy for me. As my roommate, she, more than most, had been witness to both my private and public efforts in securing this title. Saying nothing at all, I knew she understood how much this meant to me.

  Now, nearing midnight, I got to go to my room—my private suite, might I add, being the title holder with the crown now—and flopped into a sofa wearily. I actually had a memory flash as I curled up, of my previous room for the last couple of weeks. And in that instant, I missed Roxanne, with her gruff affection, as much as the chaos of the shared floor. Then there was a soft knock on the door, and when I opened it, and Parvati walked in—I was happy I had the suite. More private for all the revelations to follow.

  ‘Congratulations,’ Parvati looked at me and smiled, a joyous smi
le, it lit up her entire face. I noted ruefully that the bruise to her temple from that earlier skirmish with Nina was darker now, in contrast to her light filled demeanour.

  ‘Why didn’t you appear for the final round?’ I asked her playfully, as I acknowledged her greeting. ‘I would’ve enjoyed the competition.’

  ‘I wanted you to win,’ Parvati’s smile was sincere, but her eyes shone with mischief. ‘You think you would have, had I taken my place in the final five?’

  ‘Doubtful,’ I said smiling from ear to ear as I hugged her suddenly. I was only half joking, though I said it lightly. I had already seen what a formidable opponent Parvati made. I much preferred her in my corner, and I knew she was solidly there after all we’d been through.

  ‘Lubaina and Nina?’ I asked, conscious of what had been left halfway as we ran out for the Q&A round.

  ‘They’re with Addl.CP Mhatre. And Akruti—Tara’s free!’ Parvati’s eyes showed her satisfaction at the turn of events.

  ‘You want to tell me how it is that your brother, someone I never knew even existed, suddenly appeared at exactly the right time, before we became the next statistic on Nina’s murder spree?’ I said to Parvati. ‘And as an aside, I’m most enchanted with your pet name, “Pari”—it means ‘angel’, I see.’

  ‘More like “fairy”, but whatever,’ Parvati grinned. ‘Simpler to find than Laddo.’

  ‘Will they be tried?’ I asked, her words recalling the bizarre events that evening.

  ‘More than likely, committed. They clearly need help. You saw that,’ Parvati’s expression was serious. Then she added: ‘Akruti—my brother is part of RAW. I was here because he asked me to be.’

  I understood at once what a big confidence she was entrusting me with. Families of RAW agents, especially if they know their relatives are part of it, don’t go around saying so. One of the basics of RAW is secrecy, so Jehaan told me.

  ‘Not because of your burning ambition to win the crown?’ I kept it light, and I could see that she was grateful for that.

  ‘That too,’ Parvati smiled. ‘Only so I could be one up on you.’ We both laughed at her understatement, this girl who had even been called on stage as part of the final five and had casually skipped the opportunity for a shot at the title.

  ‘Brij was informed of some suspicious activity taking place in an international company, under the guise of being a sponsor for this event,’ Parvati continued. ‘You know a lot about RAW involves counter-terrorism and espionage, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes,’ I watched Parvati, wondering how much she was allowed to reveal, or whether she was overstepping in her effort to do right by me.

  ‘He didn’t tell me much himself, he isn’t allowed to,’ Parvati went on. ‘But he suggested, in the inimitable way he has, that I might want to take part in the Miss India contest this year. Report anything or anyone I might find suspicious. He didn’t believe there would be any danger in the contest itself, because it was the sponsors that were under scrutiny. But he also told me that if there was, he’d be here to make sure I’d be safe.’

  ‘I see,’ I said. I did see. Parvati was here on RAW work as Jehaan had rightly guessed, only it wasn’t for her super powerful father. It was for her influential brother, also RAW.

  ‘Imagine his surprise then, when serial murders started happening,’ Parvati continued. ‘At the contest he’d sent his baby sister, the pampered pet in the family, to participate in … the contest he’d thought would be safe enough!’

  ‘But they weren’t linked?’ I asked, trying to find a connect between the antics of Nina and Lubaina, and a possible terror alert situation courtesy the suspicious activity of a bogus sponsor.

  ‘Not at all. Sheer, crazy coincidence,’ Parvati said. ‘There was no danger from the sponsor end at this contest. Brij’s earlier concern, the reason he asked me to take part, never materialized. This situation was independent of it. Trust a grieving mother, driven mad by the loss of her only child, and trying to make up for it by substituting her niece, to create havoc such as cannot be imagined …’

  ‘To take lives,’ I added quietly. ‘Murder innocents in cold blood.’

  ‘What mothers won’t do for their children at the most normal of times,’ Parvati said simply. ‘You have to allow though, for the fact that Lubaina wasn’t normal.’

  ‘Nor Nina,’ I concurred. ‘She was the one who actually struck the blow each time. Lajjo, Doreen and Nuzhat … all by her hand. And would’ve been us too, but for your brother. Ironic, how he had you here investigating the possibility of suspicious activity, and I thought of him as a suspect! On more than one occasion!’

  ‘Honestly, Akruti, the timing of his coming was serendipitous, especially at the very end when we were being locked in that room. I had run out of ideas to save us! I realized after a bit, that it was him you were describing earlier. Though I hadn’t seen him myself, not even a glimpse at the elevator that one time,’Parvati smiled. ‘I had to get you off his trail till he was ready to reveal himself.’

  ‘And is he?’ I asked, curious.

  ‘Are they ever?’ Parvati smiled. ‘The most I got was the fact that he managed to turn off all the lights on the premises just before the finale! He was here, of course, you saw him outside the green room before the finale. He’s been here since news of the first murder broke. The day you saw him at the garden, he had just come in. He’d promised to keep me safe, but I was hell bent on solving this, I wanted to stay and he couldn’t change my mind on phone. So he flew in, though I didn’t see him at all—you did!

  At the finale, he trailed behind to the phone room, saw Nina follow me there. I knew whoever Laddo was, she’d read the diary again. She’d try and hunt me down before or during the finale if my diary, or rather, my pursuit of Laddo’s identity was dangerous to her. I deliberately came back to my room that last night with the diary, locked it in my drawer. Sure enough Tania took it for Nina and she read it. I was right, she wanted me out of the picture.

  Brij got all the lights to go off when he realized the situation I would soon be in. He waited till Nina went upstairs for a torch and slipped me the cassette recorder to hide in the interim, so I could tape any confession. This was when I knew at last, that my guess, of Brij being here as the man you’d kept seeing, had been correct. It was very hurried, meeting him for the first time at the contest in this way, so much was at stake. Then, as Nina mentioned, and I acknowledged, I waited till her return in that room, in the darkness. But not for her—for her confession. Brij and I, we both knew what followed next would be dangerous.

  He could’ve stopped me, but he went with my instincts though he knew it was a gamble. A scary one too, because Nina had killed many times before. But I was determined. Imagine my surprise and fear for your safety when you landed up!’

  ‘Parvati …’ I said, not being able to speak further, overcome at Parvati’s quiet fortitude. I wondered if I would go this far, stay knowingly with a crazy person in a dark room, for a confession, at the risk of my life. My appearance there all of a sudden must’ve really played on Parvati’s conscience. She could gamble with her own life—mine was another matter!

  ‘The only hitch’ Parvati continued lightly, ignoring my emotional interjection. ‘I wasn’t sure Brij would save us in time, it was so dark throughout. I didn’t know if he’d managed to see Lubaina enter, guess her involvement, or to guess that both had knives with them. Or that they intended to torch us in the room!’

  ‘Good for us both siblings operate so on instinct, then!’ I said to her, bringing much needed levity to a conversation much too heavy by half.

  ‘Lubaina’s involvement was a shock, even for me,’ Parvati smiled at my comment, then continued, grim-faced. ‘She came out of nowhere, and held the key to all. But Brij managed to save the day, despite all nasty surprises.’

  ‘Did Nina, if she managed to get rid of us, really have a shot at the crown?’ I asked Parvati, recalling my earlier musings in the phone room. ‘Was she slated to be p
art of the final five? Could she have actually become Miss India?’

  ‘The tabulation for this contest is not done by Eye India, but by an external balloting agency—you know this,’ Parvati’s voice was gentle. ‘Even if Lubaina wanted to help her win using some measure of influence, I doubt she could have. Both aunt and niece were living in an altered reality.’

  ‘And the Addl.CP?’ I was curious. ‘Did he know why you were here?’

  ‘No, but he knew whose daughter and sister I was,’ Parvati said, somewhat ruefully. ‘He is high enough on the hierarchy to have found out that there was more at play than meets the eye, hence my presence at the contest. He might not have known specifics. Then, when the killings began, he would have realized that whatever else I was, I was no suspect, nor murderer. Nor anyone that I chose to be friends with!’

  ‘Oh!’ I caught what she was implying and realised one more of her many kindnesses had been to provide a vital, if imperceptible immunity for me. No wonder the Addl.CP had dragged his feet about arresting me, despite my fingerprints on the blade that killed Lajjo.

  Her father and brother had already run background checks on me before Parvati approached me for help at the very beginning itself, I had no doubt on that. But why dwell on it? She had been a protector and provided support when I needed her most, especially on that night Lajjo fell in my arms, already approaching rigor mortis. And Parvati continued to be so, all through till the end, whether I realised it or not. For that I needed only to be grateful.

  ‘Thank you, Parvati,’ I said suddenly.

  ‘Thank you, Akruti,’ Parvati’s eyes twinkled, as she replied to me in the same vein.

  We stood looking at each other, slightly awkward at the intensity of the moment.

  Then Parvati broke the spell. ‘You saw how the Addl.CP left us alone, no matter what we went to him with! Clearly floored by your good looks, grace and winsome intelligence!’