Nava ratri

It’s said that if someone join Police, that person’s death is pretty much sealed- just timing and place varies. Dr. Mukherjee will say that that’s true for everyone, but Dr. D’cruz will disagree. ETF is comparatively the ‘safer’ job. Largely consist with criminals who won’t try to hurt them at the drop of hat, they go without gun fights for months. Their work is generally stretched onto extended period of time, and many times unsolved. Rathore will proudly say post the Dr’s joining the crime solving rate has gone up and unauthorized handling of work has gone down, and yet the action on field is less for these group of men and women. They also get called out a lot to help other departments, agencies and local PS as their jurisdiction goes as far as the whole country, barring a few places.

In a unknown place like this, the team bumped into Nadia. Or, as they came to know, ASP Aisha K. Failing and blowing cover meant desk duty for an indefinite period of time, and the way she made no secret of the fact that she despised all of them also meant her attitude had to do a lot with this transfer in this backward area. Apart from the facial expression, she was a great help in the PS as ETF arrived to solve a case of random shooting in this quiet location. Three time in last one month, in fact. Only one of the victims survived. ACP Arjun was not there, but they had a female replacement.

This was a point which would be brought up a lot in next few months.

Riya dived into profiling and if, Arjun was there, he would have known why she was offered a teaching position in a foreign, renowned university. Her knowledge and odd way of thinking often means people sell her sort, the gender don’t help. But she commands a room when she focuses on subject and sticks to it. None of the local police ever knew of profiling so she cut down on theories and made pointers on ‘Wanted person-for dummies’. It was a man living alone, most likely in an abandoned place on the outskirts on village- this will mean very less people will see him coming and going.. Age between 30-45 which is based upon NCRB statistics of last 5 years. A good driver who gets in and out quickly, most likely to be someone involved in automobile, garage or having an active interest. The shootings were random, the victims were not interlinked which means while, he knew them, it was not revenge or motive based- which means this was an unhinged man acting solo, and they need to act quickly.

In between her speech, Rathore and Aisha who were out to check the crime scenes entered. She looked curious and post the meeting sought Riya out a lot till she was in the PS. Her attitude seemed to tone down a lot, and Chotu wondered if their boss gave her some tips on keeping it in check. Shree seemed to think the same, judging by his smirk.

Few hours later, the unhinged gunman entered the police station and started to shoot everyone on sight. Chotu was the one who saved Riya, almost jumping on her to shield, then turning a table as cover and hide behind it. But people needed help and he can’t be sitting duck, hence he cursed, loaded his gun and thrashed it inside her trembling hands.

“I . . . I don’t know how to . . . “ Riya’s voice was shaking.

“It’s loaded. He comes closer to you or you hear anything, shoot first then check.” With a last squeeze to her trembling hands, Chotu vanished.

The screams of hurt people almost made her ears bleed. Judging by close the gunshots were, the man was close. Suddenly, the table was thrown away and she was revealed. It all happened too fast- his stone cold face devoid of any emotions pointed the gun at her, and Riya shot him twice, not even seeing if he got hurt. He fell down with a thud the next moment, blood was gushing out of his chest. Scared out of her mind, Riya immediately threw away the gun and started CPR on him. Time and place blurred for her, and it felt like a long time when Shree dragged her away from the man and rocked her back and forth, and others started to check on the shot man.

Arjun received a call from Rathore late in night, and he sighed angrily. His hearing meant hiding behind a desk and do damn paper work, growl in his cabin and wait for things to pass. He had a meeting today which, if someone asked him, went well. He was a bit irritated Rathore did not check on that but he also knew that man, just like him, don’t parade his feelings much. Pretty sure he got news of hearing from other resources.

He picked the call and that was the second worst call he ever received in his life. He can almost picture Rathore- dishevelled air, that tremor in quiet voice, how he would stand in a slouched position, eyes downcast with worry. The way he started the call- ‘there was a shooting’, he jumped to worst case scenario.

“Is she dead?” He bit his tongue afterwards.

“No . . . God no.” The former paused, “We are not hurt, thankfully. You . . . it’s late.”

“I am coming.” He cut the call.

The last time Riya was in hospital, Shree was hurt and there was this white noise around her. This time, she would like to say, she is handling it better. She is hyper aware of the sounds- footsteps, people talking, sound of water, scrap of metallic desk, ping of elevator. She is not lost in head, she is not frozen. On the contrary her inside wants to burst out- adrenaline, she guessed. Her eyes glanced at the end of OT multiple times in a minute, waiting for it to open.

She shot someone twice and put them in hospital. But then, shooting means someone will be in hospital, obviously. At that, she shivered, and beside her Shree shifted closer to him. He had not left her side since police station, and the Dr wondered while they have noticed Chotu and his adjusting back from Chattisgarh, they might have missed on Shree.

There was this familiar footsteps and Arjun Rawte stood there, in flesh. He also brought with him first rays of dawn, and Riya mentally calculated- 9 hours since shooting. Prolong surgery. Alarming amount of blood loss.

Shree left her side with a squeeze of hand and Arjun crouched down at the floor, “Are you hurt?”

“I don’t think that’s the correct question.”

He exhaled sharply, “I am asking are you hurt?”

“On the contrary, I hurt someone.” there was disbelieve in her voice, “I never held a gun, and the first time I do I shoot someone. Twice, you know? But I don’t know where I hit him.”

“I don’t care about that man.” Arjun’s voice rose slightly, enough to snap her out of it.

“Why won’t you?”

“He shot and killed people and held a gun in your head. I have no sympathy for monsters like him.”

She looked at him as if whatever came out of his mouth was too surreal to comprehend. Then her head went back and forth, her entire frame seemed to curl upon itself.

“That’s not how it works.”

He grabbed her hands, not even hesitating before touching her, “Listen to me- self defence is not murder. He tried to hurt you, you hurt him to protect yourself. There is clause for that, you know that.” Her eyes filled with tears but they won’t fall, “He would have seriously hurt you. You would have been in there.” He pointed at the OT, “You did the right thing. You saved yourself, is not that the right thing to do?”

She wanted to say it don’t feel right, but the door burst open. The shooter did not make it, and from the look of it, everyone sans her was expecting this. They were even relieved, if she observed carefully.

Riya looked down at her hands in horror.

Now that they had a dead shooter on hand who’s identity and being culprit was pretty much confirmed, only autopsy and official report remained to close it asap. It also meant ETF, sans Rawte need to stay back for a while. Rathore took a call once they handed over the body to forensic expert- who shot the man will remain off the records. The official version went like this – an unhinged man who had previously shot and killed two people and injured one entered police station one fine evening for a murder suicide. The local police valiantly fought against him and in return gun fight, the shooter was injured and later succumbed to death. The police got its fame, ETF got to keep a secret, win win for all. He did it all single handed and didn’t have to explain to his team, and in that moment he felt he had the best team of this world who had his back and trusted his judgement.

Outside police station, Riya was stubbornly demanding to check the shooter’s house herself, and Rathore realised after a few futile minutes of arguing back and forth that the Dr needed this, in a way a closure for all of these. Taking life is never easy, but saving one’s own skin over someone else’s life is hard to comprehend at times. It eats one from inside, the sinking feeling, self loathe and constant negative emotions is also known as survivor’s guilt.

Chotu was about to get in the car to accompany Riya when ACP Arjun came out of nowhere, his palm extended for keys. There was no question, no demand and yet he handed them over. His mouth opened once to tell him something- please be gentle with her. But he was here, wasn’t he? Maybe they can trust her with him.

The fact that Rathore sir thinks he’s on his way to Mumbai but here he was . . . That’s another topic. Their boss wasn’t wrong though, he was still under interrogation and shouldn’t be anywhere close to a crime scene. They can’t handle it in case words go out.

The Dr was surprised when the Rawte entered inside the car, but didn’t ask anything. She always gets quiet during a case, but this felt like something else. As if she was losing herself in that. Arjun almost wished to say something, but what can he offer? He don’t even have any empty words of consolation.

Riya checked the house thoroughly- a small one storied house on the outskirts of this area. He was a car enthusiast, was married judging by pictures hanging all over the place. His clothes were organised, his documents burnt. They also found more guns and bullets in his bed room, and a diary where he had meticulously noted down details of the day , time and place where he killed or hurt people, how he felt in that moment and his next course of action.

Arjun leaned onto door as he observed her. The Dr was sitting on the floor right next to those bullets, staring at them intently.

“You won’t find the answer here.”

She looked up at him, and when she spoke her voice was hoarse. “There had to be a justification.”

“Of him?” he looked around, “He was mentally ill, Riya. He probably had a condition. No sane person wake up one day and randomly start killing people. He entered a police station, what does that mean to you?”

“Challenging authority.”

“Or maybe his death wish.” Sighing, he added softly, “Its done. Let it go.”

But she was never particularly good at let something go. “There has to be something. Ab incident which made him snap. The person who’s in the picture with him . . .”

“Local police already reached out to her “ His voice turned hard, “You are asking the wrong question. Trying to find answer for him and justify that for yourself.”

“Is that wrong of me to ask questions?”

“No.” He came closer to her, crouching next to her on floor. “But don’t try to seek answer through him.”

After a long stretch of silence, the Dr spoke softly, “I killed someone.” When their eyes went to her hands, they were trembling. “What kind of a person do that?”

“Someone who wants to live.” He replied in kind. “We all want to live. There is nothing wrong in that. You picked your life over his.”

“That don’t justify it.”

“Justify what?” He was losing his patience. Before she can answer that, he asked in a hurry, “We hurt criminals. We often kill them in self defence. Does that justify anything? If they are killing to save themselves, why can’t we?”

“You have a different stand on human lives.”

“If it’s a life of criminal, yes.”

“Everyone had a right to live.”

“When someone takes a life, they shouldn’t have any.” Suddenly, he stood up, “This is not a human rights debate, Riya. You did nothing wrong today. You picked your life, it’s nothing different than it you had saved someone else’s life.”

But she didn’t save anyone but herself, and even though ACP Rawte said criminal shouldn’t have rights, she didn’t feel like her life was superior to that shooter lying dead on a stretcher

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