by Shilpa Jain
Abram places a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t lose heart. We have checked Tungareshwar already. So let’s search Sanjay Gandhi national park.”
“I doubt if they would go back there. But we have no other lead.”
Tanvi’s phone rings. It is DSP Pai on the line.
“Yadav, what’s the progress. I want them caught tonight. Tomorrow is Diwali. I don’t want us to be in limelight for wrong reasons.”
“Sir, Tungareshwar is clean. We have reports of abduction of three women, but no lead on where they could be.”
“Tap your resources Yadav. My ass is on target.”
“Am on it sir.”
Tanvi sits back heavily on the bus stop bench. Abram and Makrand sit beside her on either side. Soma stands and looks at the helpless lot.
She tries to motivate them, “Come on guys, we can’t give up now. Tonight, is our last chance. Ma’am, you said tonight is the big night for offering. So, let’s assume they haven’t found the last victim and are waiting.”
Tanvi stands up, “You may be right. We can’t give up until we have lost.”
“Ok. So, what should we do?” asks Makrand with renewed motivation.
“What we do best. Use our sources and resources. This is a main road. On either side, after about 1 km, there are major traffic junctions. Ask Rane to find out if these junctions are under cctv coverage by the traffic department. Get the exact time from the village head and check footages before and after that.”
“I’ll call up Rane,” says Soma.
“There is no place to hide from this road to the junction. So, they couldn’t have stayed here overnight. Let’s ask the paanwala about that,” says Abram.
Abram asks the paanwala, “Are there any shrines of any goddesses nearby?”
“Yes, one on either side.”
Tanvi’s brows arch. “Really? Are there any places between here and the main junction that somebody could use to hide?”
“Is it about the tantric killings?”
“Yes, why?”
“Because there are two cremation grounds on either side. I had heard that one of the killings happened at a cremation ground.”
“That is useful info. Thanks bro. Does any of the cremation grounds have a shrine?” asks Abram placing a 100 rupee note in the paanwaala’s shirt pocket.
“I don’t really know that. Those are Hindu cremation places and I am a Muslim.”
“No problem. I’ll find out. Thank you,” says Tanvi.
Abram clutches her hand, “There is hope. We will find them.”
Tanvi nods.
Soma receives a call from Rane. She reports to Tanvi, “The traffic control is checking the footages. They suggested that we should check the footages from the cctv of the hotel at the western junction. That covers a huge part of the junction. Rane is on it.”
“Fine. We can’t just wait here. We have four places to go. Two shrines and two crematoriums. How many police and forest department personnel do we have?” enquires Tanvi.
Makrand replies, “Total nine plus Dr Sheriff.”
“Fine. Makrand and Abram cannot be sent on their own. So, you two accompany me to one of the cremation grounds. Soma you take two officers to the other ground and split the rest of them to check the shrines.”
“Right ma’am.”
Tanvi checks if her glock is in her shoulder holster and proceeds with her team. Soma goes back to the village to give instructions to the other officers. Makrand takes charge of driving. Tanvi receives a call from Kabeer.
“Yes Kabeer, I hope it is important.”
“I spoke to aghori baba. He said that tonight 12:02 a.m. is the best time to invoke Kali. It is the time when Kaali Choudas transforms to Kartik Amavasya. He also said that the most likely place of offerings is a crematorium. That is where Kaali would like to be tonight. There are two crematoriums near the village.”
“How do you know where I am?”
“You forget I am a very resourceful informer.”
“Yup. I’ll see what I can do. Thanks.”
“Anytime. Just take care.”
Tanvi glances at her watch. It is 10 p.m.
She takes a deep breath and says, “We have about two hours. The sacrifices will most probably take place at 12:02 a.m. We can check both the crematoriums in that much time.”
Chapter 16
Tanvi, Abram and Makrand reach the crematorium in about seven minutes. It is deserted. The main gate is latched. The cabin near the gate is vacant.
Tanvi commands Makrand, “You and Abram enter from the main gate. I’ll take the back gate.”
Abram protests, “I’ll tag along with you.”
Tanvi argues, “Makrand is a trainee. I can’t send him alone.”
“Ok fine,” replies Abram, irritably.
Tanvi goes around the boundary wall, remaining extra alert to listen to the faintest noises that would give her clues. But all she hears is silence. A dim light illuminates a small hut at one end of the crematorium.
She moves towards the rear gate. It is a small single door iron gate that is unmanned. She kicks it. It opens with a creaking sound. Beyond the gate lies the vacant and foggy crematorium ground. Cool night breeze whooshes past her body and sends chills down her spine. She gets an eerie feeling.
Taking a deep breath, she takes a few cautious steps ahead with her glock pointing straight ahead into the darkness. She senses some movement on her right side. As soon as she turns, a cloud of ash flies towards her and instantly engulfs her. Within seconds, she is knocked out.
Abram and Makrand meet the same fate at the main gate. At about 11:30 p.m., Tanvi wriggles a bit. Her head is hurting. She tries to move from her face down position, only to realize that she has been gagged and her hands and legs are secured with ropes.
Still dizzy from the effect of the ash powder, she squeezes her eyes several times to clear her vision. She realizes that she is on the cremation ground.
The chill bites her body and she becomes aware that she is not wearing any clothes. Her body has been painted yellow with turmeric paste and her breasts have been painted red using vermillion.
Bhairavi! Goddess Bhairavi! The fearless goddess! O my God, I am their last mahavidya offering!
She looks around for help. Abram and Makrand are nowhere in sight. Faint noises coming from behind her catch her attention. She wriggles to move her body and look behind. A familiar scent of marijuana fills up the air.
A smoky trail seems to be emanating from the dimly lighted hut across. She snuggles her body and draws her knees close to her face. She then pushes her arms from below her legs to bring them to the front of her body. After pulling down her gag using her fingers and taking a few deep breaths, she first unties her hands using her teeth, and then her legs using her hands.
She lies flat on the ground to avoid undue attention from her killers. Crawling ahead, she tries to see through the fog and smoke. Her head is heavy because of the injury, the effect of the ash powder and the marijuana that she is inhaling. She struggles to maintain her focus.
The tantric killers are seen dragging Makrand and Abram into the hut. They seem drugged. Outside the hut, she notices three women lying down and groaning. They too are drugged.
Probably the three abducted victims, the mother and her two daughters.
The mother appears to be wearing a white drape. One of the girl’s body is painted with vermillion to imitate jewellery and the other girl is wearing a tiger’s skin.
Dhumavati, Tripurasundari and Tara.
The killers start chanting some mantras.
Dhoom dhoom dhura dhura krom phat dhumavati swaha
They untie the mother and make her stand. Tanvi looks around for a shrine. She can see none.
One of the tantrics disrobes, exposing an ash-covered face and body. Long matted black hair cover the face and upper body of the tantric. It is too dark and foggy to see clearly. Tanvi crawls ahead. She is just at a distance of six feet from the tantrics, hiding behi
nd a pile of half burnt wooden logs.
Two tantrics bring a severed head of a man and his decapitated body. They have threaded a rope to the head to make a garland. They put the garland of the severed head around the naked tantric’s neck. The nude tantric, who is probably the head tantric, steps on the decapitated body and screams. The screams send shivers that shatter Tanvi’s soul.
The killer is the goddess for this offering? The last ritual for immortality! And the head belongs to? God, no! She freezes.
The other tantrics hand over a skull cup full of red fluid, mostly blood, to the lead tantric who drinks it. Tanvi is nauseated on seeing the sight.
Tears flow down her eyes. She holds a hand over her mouth to control her sobs.
One of the killers takes the skull cup from the lead killer’s hand and applies the blood from it on the lead killer’s and other tantric’s and the victim’s foreheads.
The chanting becomes faster and louder.
Dhoom dhoom dhura dhura krom phat dhumavati swaha
Another killer brings another skull cup and forces the mother to drink the contents. The mother looks at her daughters. Two tantrics are holding shiny blades near their throats. The mother gulps the contents to save her girls.
She collapses immediately and Tanvi sees smoke coming out of her mouth and nose.
Dhumavati, the one who emanates smoke. O God! What did they give her? Fire or was it acid? Fucking monsters!
Tanvi’s sobs transform into rage. Her jaws tighten and her eyes blaze.
The mother makes hoarse and painful noises. She clutches her neck and sticks out her burnt and bleeding tongue. After a while, she collapses and her groans become inaudible as her breathing becomes more and more laborious. Life slowly leaves her body relieving her from her horrible tormentors. During her last few breaths, she lies helpless with open eyes staring in Tanvi’s direction.
Tanvi feels as if the mother is pleading her to save her daughters. Although sad, she feels relieved to see that the mother is not in pain anymore.
Tanvi tries to stand up to make a move. But the effect of the drug is too strong. She falls down. Fortunately, the tantrics are chanting mantras loudly and do not hear her fall. She crawls ahead. The tantrics are celebrating their offering by making strange noises.
They start chanting the next mantra
Om aim kleem sau om aim kleem sau
Tanvi moves ahead on her knees and hands. She reaches out to the black robe that the lead tantric has discarded on the ground before the ritual. She grabs and wears it to cover her naked body. She looks around for a weapon to attack. Her glock is not with her. She notices some huge rocks lying on the ground. She feels strangely energised on seeing them.
Inside the hut, Makrand and Abram struggle to free themselves. They had seen the decapitated body of a person, probably the crematorium caretaker, lying in the hut when they were dragged in.
After the killers carried the body outside, Makrand and Abram had tried to untie each other. They manage to free themselves and try to stand in spite of being incapacitated by the marijuana smoke that is still in the air inside the hut. They stumble near the hut window, but stand again taking its support. Abram is worried about Tanvi.
When they peep outside the window, they see one of the killers lying on the ground, lifeless. A person wearing a black robe is seen charging with a huge stone towards another tantric killer. The person strikes him with lightning speed. The killer collapses. The person hits him with a second blow to ensure that he is dead. Two down.
The third tantric killer picks up a curved sword and surges towards the person in the black robe. The person ducks the killer and stands behind him. Then picking up a skull hits hard on the third killer’s head. The killer loses balance. The person then picks up a boulder and smashes his head. Three down.
The only tantric alive is the one with ash-covered body garlanded with a decapitated head, the head tantric.
Makrand and Abram squint their eyes to look at the lead tantric. In the dim light and the burning fire of the ritual, they faintly see a big black mole outside the right eye of the tantric.
“Chamundakaal? He is alive?” exclaims Makrand.
Abram cleans his spectacles and narrows his eyes.
“No, see the face. It is familiar.”
Makrand exclaims, “Oh yeah and look at the body, the tantric is a woman! It’s Pari!”
Both of them are in shock.
“How is that possible? She was charred to death. We found her teeth,” shrieks Abram.
At that instant, they hear commotion near the main gate. The police team, forest officials and Tanvi’s team along with some villagers have come looking for them. They are carrying torches and hurrying towards the cemetery. The person in black robe turns to look at the villagers.
The villagers shout, “The burqa killer is here!”
The person in black robe drops the boulder and disappears into the darkness and fog where Tanvi is lying wounded. The police officers overpower and arrest the lead tantric killer ‘Pari’.
Abram and Makrand drag themselves out of the hut. They look for Tanvi. She is lying unconscious behind a half-burnt pile of wooden logs. She is wearing a black robe. Everyone is in shock to see her attire.
It is 12:02 a.m., Kartik Amavasya. Diwali crackers light up the moonless sky marking the victory of good over evil.
Chapter 17
On Diwali day, at CID headquarters, DSP Pai is facing the flak of SP Das.
“I can’t believe that you let it go so far Pai.”
“I gave my best sir.”
“Don’t give me that crap. Your best officer Tanvi is the suspected burqa killer.”
“Sir, media is taking it too far. She is not the burqa killer.”
“There were too many eye witnesses Pai, and what about the evidence? It clearly points at her.”
“I’ll try to soften the media’s tone sir. She was a victim. She was going to be sacrificed.”
“If you want her to come out of this mess, get me the actual burqa killer.”
“That may not be possible sir in the time constraint we have.”
“Pai, nine people were murdered by the tantric killers and numerous others were murdered by the burqa killer! The home minister had called. He says we have failed to maintain law and order in our city. The public has lost faith in us. These killers and saviours have no fear of law. If you want to save Tanvi Yadav, find the actual burqa killer. I am afraid we will have to make her the scapegoat otherwise.”
“That’s not fair sir.”
“Tell that to the home minister. Go to the hospital and interrogate everyone. Find out Pari’s story.”
“Yes sir.”
Just when Pai is about to get up, officer Harsh Hegde knocks on his cabin door.
“Yes Hegde?”
“Sir, the forensic department has confirmed that the finger prints on the boulder match those of Tanvi. And…?”
“More bad news?”
“Sir, the blood on the boulder matches that of one of the dead tantric killers.”
“That is the last nail in her coffin.”
“Sir, I am sure Tanvi Yadav is not the burqa killer.”
DSP Pai sighs. “Hegde, I have some work to do. Can you close the door when you leave?”
“Sure sir.”
DSP Pai gets up and unlocks a secret cupboard in his office. He removes Tanvi’s employment record file. He reads an old tattered report on the background check done on her before she was appointed with the CID department.
Name: Tanvi Yadav
Father: Ramlal Yadav, abusive, alcoholic, and unemployed. Murdered at 39 years of age outside Chandni Bar by fatal blows on his head using a blunt and heavy object, probably a boulder. Case unsolved.
Mother: Bhagyavati Yadav, victim of domestic violence. Died of tuberculosis 10 years ago.
Brother: Ankit Yadav, had run away from home at age 14 years. Whereabouts unknown.
Tanvi Yadav: Age 22 years, history o
f child abuse and domestic violence. Was suspected of murdering her father, but was released due to lack of evidence.
Pai remembers the case clearly. He was the investigating officer for this case back then.
Tanvi was a petrified and puny girl. There is no way she could have murdered her father. I had let her go on the basis of my judgement of people. I have never been wrong. But there is always a first time. Did I go wrong? Could she be the burqa killer? What should I do? Trust my instincts or the evidence? My heart or my head?
Chapter 18
At the hospital, Tanvi, Abram, and Makrand are recuperating. Tanvi is doing fine. Abram and Makrand will take some time to recover because they were exposed to a room full of vaporised marijuana. Marijuana, though rarely fatal, can cause severe anxiety, loss of focus, temporary memory loss, heavy limbs, irritation of the eyes and nose, among other symptoms.
Pari is currently being treated for withdrawal symptoms of chronic marijuana use.
DSP Pai, inspector Sushant Patil and sub-inspector Soma Singh visit Tanvi at the hospital.
DSP Pai pulls a chair and sits near Tanvi’s bed. He asks Patil and Singh to wait outside. They are hesitant.
Tanvi smiles and assures them, “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
DSP Pai looks around to check for cameras.
“Sir, you look worried.”
“I am. I need to know the truth. This is not an official interrogation Yadav. Just tell me the truth.”
“Truth about what sir?”
“Are you the burqa killer?”
Tanvi looks at him and draws a deep breath, “No sir, I am not.”
“There is a lot of evidence against you Yadav. There are eye witnesses. You were found in the black robe and…,” his voice trails.
“I know sir. It is unfortunate.”
“Unfortunate? That’s all you have got in your defence? Do you realise that your life and your career are going to be destroyed?”
She sighs.
“Come on Yadav! Give me something to protect you,” says DSP Pai.
“Sir, I don’t know what to say.”
“In court, your background will be questioned, and I won’t be able to hide the facts.”
