THE CASE OF THE MISSING PEOPLEChapter 1 : The Dying Man
Mumbai, Juhu Beach, midnight
Sea is something that you will not find it easy to ignore. You will watch waves upon waves crushing on sea-shore, people swimming, some fishermen in search of fish. At night through the
silence you will hear the roar of waves... & the zillions of phosphorous, glittering like a necklace of diamonds.
None of this natural romantic words were not in Vishal's mind now. A bit surprising, as nature & its beauty always attracts Vishal. They generally elevated his mind to a new world... a world where he was free from ----------
But the state of being in the verge of death had driven away all the other thoughts. He had been swimming & floating in the sea for nearly 5 hrs... although he had lost track of time...
Those people had thrown his body into the midsea... thought he were dead (naturally, it's very hard to live for someone after that type of torture). But surprisingly, he was still breathing as he dragged himself near the beach, his body protesting his every move... but only one thought kept him going...
" I have to reach CID "...
He was in the beach now, crawling through the sand... his sense of duty forwarding him towards his destiny...
Although he knew even if he dies before reaching CID, there are still chances of CID getting the news, he had seen to that.
Suddenly his body gave away. He could move no longer. Vishal realized the harsh truth his end was very near, his vision became blurring...
With his trembling fingers, Vishal tried to write in the sand. But his fingers stopped eventually, leaving his eyes fixed, blank & empty, as he breathed the last...
The incomplete writing looked like this...
' A D G '
' I M W '
Chapter 2 : The Problem unsolved for 2 months
CID Bureau, Next Morning
(Daya Abhi checking some files; Freddy & Sachin busy with computer; ACP still not arrived; Kajal Vivek outside for some investigation)
Daya --- Abhijit
Abhijit --- Haan Daya!
Daya --- Ek baat puchhoon tumse?
Abhijit --- haan yaar, puchoon na.
Daya --- Tum ko bureau ate hi forensic jana jaroori para? Woh report to Vivek ko le ana tha, na?
Abhijit --- Haan... woh toh... haan yaar... woh maine socha ki main hi kar doon. Vivek bachchhe log hain, kitna kaam karega bechara! Hum senior officers ko bhi toh kaam karna chahiye na, kyun Sachin, tum hi samjhao na Daya ko!
Sachin --- What?? woh... haaan... kya.. kya sir? woh haan... haan sir... hum logon ko kaam ... kana chahiye sir... haaan sir! You are right sir! Yes sir!
Abhi --- Dekha Daya? Sachin bhi keh rahi hain!
Daya --- Woh toh maine dekha, aur main yeah bhi soch ta hoon, ki tum lab mein tab kyun nahi jaate the, jab Dr. Anjalika the??
Abhijit had started drinking water, hearing Daya's words he threw all the water away from his mouth.
Just then, ACP entered. Seeing the splash, he asked, " Kya hua Abhijit? Ek Sr. Inspector hoke tum Bureau barbaad kar rahe ho? Sharam nahi aate tumhe? "
Abhi : woh sir... main to bas yunhi... i mean sorry sir.
Daya : Sir woh actually maine hi Abhi ko hasa raha tha... sir isme Abhijit ka koi galti nahi hain sir...
ACP : Haan main samajh gaya... lekin kya yeah waqt hasne ka hain?? Pata hain, pichhle 2 mahino me mumbai se kitne log gayab hote jaa rahe hain?? Ek ka bhi thikana nahi dhund payi humne! Kya kar rahe ho tum sab?
All CID officers had their heads down now. The words that ACP said to them, sounded very harsh but were very much true.
It has been happening for almost 2 months now. 5 people have been disappeared from mumbai & surrounding areas. Okay, you might say that people getting disappeared or kidnapped is not unusual... but no kidnapper have demanded any ransom till now in any case. Nor any of the 5 persons had major problems with anyone.
CID first tried to find if there were any connections between the disappearances. But the 5 didn't know each other, nor did their family. Investigations are ongoing... but nothing has been achieved till now.
So ACP had reasons to get angry. He asked rather calmly, " aur kuchh pata chala nahi, na? "
Daya said, " Sir Kajal aur Vivek unke kuchh khabri se milne gaye hein... shayad kuch pata chal sakta hain. "
ACP : Thik hain, pata karte raho. Naa jaane kab suraj nikle gi.
Saying this, ACP goes to his cabin, in a foul mood. All others get back to work. Abhijit shaked his head & said, " Yeah toh hone hi waale thi! "
Daya : Chhodo yaar, yeah gayab logon ne hume parishan kar diye hain. Do mahine beet gaye, aur abhi bhi kuchh pata nahi chala.
Abhi : Shayad aisa paheli baar hua. waise thanks Daya, bachane ke liye.
Daya : Is mein thanks dene ki kya baat hui? After all mere hi wajay se to ----
Daya had to stop, because the bureau phone had just rang. Freddy picked it up. After a little conversation, he said, " Sir Juhu Beach mein ek aadmi ki laash mili hain, humein wahan pe bulaya gaya hain. "
Chapter 3 : Body In The Beach
Juhu Beach, Morning
CID team arrived by their qualis (Daya, Abhi, Freddy, Sachin)They saw Inspector Patil standing there, with some constables. Daya asked, " Patil tum yahan? "
Patil --- haan sir yeah toh mere aur Sr. Insp. Deshmukh ke hi ilaake ka case hain, lekin Deshmukh sir ko main jab phone mein details bataya toh unhone aapko khabar karne ko kaha.
Freddy : Tab is laash mein jaroor kuch gadbad hogi.
Just then, Abhijit's phone rang. He saw it was Deshmukh. He answered, "Haan Damodar bolo. "
Deshmukh : Patil ne mujhe laash ki photo bheji. Laash ko gaur se dekho. Uska kapda bilkul waisa hi hain, jaisa Vishal ka tha.
Abhijit : Vishal... matlab Vishal Karwal? Bank manager? jo der mahine pehle gayab hue the???
Deshmukh : Haan... mujhe details yaad the. Aur ek baat. Picture me maine dekha ki iski daine haath ka ring finger chhota hain. Vishal ka bhi aisa hi tha. Isi liye maine tumko khabar dene ki decision li.
Abhijit : Thanks Damodar. Waise laash ki chehra to puri tarah se...
Deshmukh : Haan woh maine dekha. Koi baat nahi Dr. Salunkhe hain na! Chalo, best of luck Abhijit.
Daya was checking the body. Face was totally unrecognizable. Most of the body parts were bruised heavily. Blood stains in the clothes. Freddy was taking the photographs.
Sachin suddenly noticed something beside the body. Upon closer view, he saw some symbols but could not make out totally. He informed the others.
Abhijit could not understand too. Freddy took the pictures very accurately & team decided to look upon that later.
Daya : Pehle yah laash kisne dekha?
A fisherman answered, " Sir maine dekha. Subah jab machhli pakadne ja raha tha tab maine isko yahan pade huye dekha. "
Freddy : Tumne aur kisiko dekha?
Fisherman : Nahi sab. main kareeb 5 baje yahan pe aaye the. tab koi nahi tha yahan par.
Abhijit : Body ko dekhke to lagta hain ki bohot ghante pehle iska maut hua hain. Chalo laash ko forensic lab bhejte hain. Lagta hain, yahan aas paas puch taach karne se phayda nahi hoga.
Chapter 4 : The Blackout
CID Bureau, Morning
ACP was checking details of the missing persons in his laptop. 5 persons had gone missing, & no trace, no trace. His mind still had the thought of the connection among them, but found no proof.
Maybe there were no connection...
But... no phone calls in all of them... strange things...
Maybe there was something...
was... wasn't ... was... wasn't... was... wasn't...
He got up from his chair... & started thinking & walking randomly... but felt a bit uneasy...
His health was not totally well... pressure of work... he was growing older ( though he always denied this )... plus the tension of not finding any clue about the missing persons...
Suddenly his head gave a spin... his vision became blurred... he tried to clutch the table... but failed...
All of a sudden he fell to the floor... & everything became pitch dark.
****
Vivek & Kajal were returning to bureau... with the news of a slight ray of hope for the first time in 2 months. Their khabri informed them that he had found a locket inside a private bus which he rode some other day. The locket looks very similar with the one Javed wore. Javed was one of the missing persons. He was a student in R. K. College.
Vivek opened the door & found no one in the bureau. Assuming that all others were busy with some case, he started some work.
Kajal entered, & glanced at ACP's cabin. At first she didn't notice anything; but her mind told her to gave another look. & she found a boot lying in the floor.
Sensing something unusual, Kajal stepped into the room cautiously. Upon seeing the scene before her eyes, she started to scream.
Vivek came running after hearing the scream. His inside went cold seeing the terrible scene.
ACP Pradyumn was lying unconscious on the stone cold floor of his cabin.
Chapter 5 : A Second-Time Visit
City Hospital, Mumbai
" Doctor saab, kya khabar hain? "
" Doctor, sir thik to hain na? "
" ACP saab ko jaada chot to nahi? "
" kaise haye ab humuray ACP sir? "
These questions started flying around Dr. Shastri as soon as he stepped out of the cabin. & these were asked by none other than CID officers, all of them having white anxious faces.
Dr. Shastri glanced towards all the officers. Seeing the worry in their faces, he heaved a sigh & informed that ACP sir was out of danger now. His condition was stable.
" Lekin ACP saab ko rest ki shakht jaroorat hain. Umar to kam nahi hui unki. Phir bhi jawan ki tarah ghumne phirte hain aur mujrimo ko pakad te hain. Unka chalna phirna control karna parega. Kam se kam 1 mahine ki puri rest ki jaroorat hain. "
Daya : ha boss, ACP saab ko is umar mein itni chaap nahi lena chahiye.
Abhijit : Ha Daya, Doctor to sahi kehe rahe hain. Lekin ACP saab to rest lene ki aadmi nahi hain.
Freddy : Sir is baar main ACP sir ko samjhauga. Agar meri baat nahi maani, to mera wife ko bhi main bulaonga.
Salunkhe : Pradyumn woh kidnapping ka case lekar bohot parishan hain. Waise, tum logon ne jo laash bheji thi, uska post mortem Dr. Tarika kar rahe hain. thodi der mein sab pata chal jayega.
Daya : Kajal aur Vivek Vishal ke ghar gaye hain. DNA report lena padega...
***
" Apke pati ka koi dushman the? "
" Koi nahi, koi nahi. 1 mahine pehle hi to main apko yeah baat bata chuki hoon."
Kajal & Vivek were finding it a bit tough to do the enquiry. They had once visited this house, for finding about the disappearance. Now back in there, only to give the news of the death.
Vivek : Kajal, tum Mrs. Karwal ko sambhalo, main Vishal ki ghar dekh kar aati hoon.
CID had checked the room before. Vivek mainly entered to get some DNA sample though. After taking comb & toothbrush, he decided to check the room once more.
Nothing unusual. Lots of lots of books in the room. Vishal had been, well not exactly a bookworm but loved books. Vivek suddenly had an interest of checking the books.
Searched... & founding nothing gadbad. Only one thing was noticeable ----------- lots of books on puzzles were there. Vivek was very much interested in puzzles, so here he was curious too.
Kajal was calling, so giving a glance towards the books, Vivek left the room.
Chapter 6 : Post-Mortem
Forensic lab
" Haan Dr. Tarika, kya pata chala laash dekh kar? "
" Abhijit, iski maut kareeb raat ko 12 se 1 baje ke beech huya hain. "
Daya : Maut ki bajay?
Tarika : Maut ki bajay to bohot hain. Is admi ko bohot buri tarah se tadpaya gaya. Ek bar dekhiye iske chehre ko.
Abhijit : My god! Sarir ke jagah jagah pe isko mara gaya hain! Yeh dekho Daya, cigarette se jalane ka nishan! Bohot khoon behek chuki hogi iski.
Daya : Boss, sirf woh hi nahi! kandhe aur haath pe yeh nishan toh goli ka lagte hain!
Tarika : Haan Daya, iske payer mein bhi goli ka nishan hain. Rassi se bandh ne ka nishan bhi hain. Aur ek baat. Yeah aadmi kareeb 5-6 ghante se samundar pe thi.
Sachin : 5-6 ghante se? Lekin yeah aadmi pani mein toh nahi mari.
Freddy : Kar kya raha tha itne waqt paani mein? swimming competetion...
Abhijit : Freddy!
Tarika : Waise kuchh test abhi bhi baaki rahe gayi hain. Sab kuch confirm karna hoga uske baad.
Sachin : Mujhe yeah samajh mein nahi aa raha hain ki itni buri tarah se tadpane ka bajay ka hain! Kya dushmani thi?
Tarika : Aur ek baat. Yeah aadmi bohot dino se shayad samundar ke as paas thi. Iska kapde toh aisa hi bata rahe hain. Salt ka jo layer pada hain, yeah kuch ghante samundar ke paani me rehne ki bajay se sirf nahi hoti. 30-35 din se yeah aadmi samundar ke kareeb thi.
Abhijit : Matlab kareeb 1 mahine se? Vishal ko jis jagah pe rakha gaya tha woh shayad samundar ke paas hain.
Daya : Woh, bhul-i gaye the! Hum log ne jo sand ki upor se kuch nishan uthaye the woh kya ho sakte hain?
Salunkhe : Woh hi to dhund ne ki koshish kar raha hoon, Daya. Lagta hain yeah kuch letters hoge.
Abhijit : Letters?
Salunkhe : Haan Abhijit, lagta hain yeah angreji letters hain. Main ne bohot achhi tarah se check kiya. Lagta hain yeah letters aise hain :
' A D G '
' I M W '
Freddy : Yeah to koi code jaisa lagta hain.
Salunkhe : Haan Freddy yeah code hi hain. Lekin iska matlab kya hain yaar, yeah toh dekhan baaki hain.
Just then, Kajal & Vivek entered the lab. They had the DNA test samples with them. Both asked the same question ------- " ACP saab kaise hain? "
Abhijit : Sir ka condition abhi stable hain. Lekin unko rest lena padega.
Kajal : Main to abhi bhi shock mein hoon. Waise sir, puchhtaach kiya humne, lekin jada phayda kuchh nahi hua.
Abhijit : Thik hain. DNA samples toh mil gaye hain. Vivek, woh locket ek baar dikhao.
Vivek took out the locket & handed it over. Abhijit found it similar to the one he saw in Javed's photo.
Daya : Woh bus kaun si thi kya yeah pata chala?
Vivek : 432D Bus. Bus number puri tarah se nahi dekha khabri ne, last 2 digits the 39.
Sachin : Hum isse dhund sakte hain us bus ko.
Sachin sat with the laptop & soon found the result. Luckily, There was only one bus such.
Abhijit : Puchhtachh koro is bus ke driver, conductor ko. Javed ka ghar aur college ek baar phirse jaana padega. Freddy, Vivek tum dono is code ko break karne ki koshish koro. Is code mein hi chhupa hain, in gayab aadmio ka raaz.
Chapter 7 : A lot of worries
Bus Stand, Lonawa
" 1139 number ka bus kiska hain? "
" Sahab, yeah bus ka driver to Ramesh hain. Woh raha
Ramesh."
Sachin & Kajal had been visiting the Bus Stand. They
met Ramesh; & the conductor Suraj. Both of them said they knew
Javed. He used to take the bus from R. K. College, nearly around 4
pm & got down from the bus at Bandra.
Kajal : Achha, akhir baar kab tumne dekhe the Javed ko is bus
lete hue?
Suraj : Sahab, 2 din pehle hi dekha tha.
Sachin : Kya? 2 din pehle? Lekin Javed toh kareeb 25 dino se
gayab hain!
Kajal : Tumhe achhi tarah yaad toh hain na?
Ramesh : Sahab, maine usko hi dekha tha.
Sachin : Toh tumne kisiko inform kyun nahi kiya?
Ramesh : Sir, hume kya pata hain ki woh gayab hain!
Kajal : Achha yeh batao woh kaha se bus mein chadi thi aur
kaha utre thi?
Suraj : Sahab yeh toh sahi tarah se yaad nahi... magar
woh kisi alag jayga se chadi thi bus mein... shayad Badri
Market se uthi thi aur... aur... nahi saab, yaad nahi aa raha
hain kaha utreti.
Sachin : Kya woh akele the?
Suraj : Ek aadmi tha uske saath. Uske paas hi baitha tha
woh. Ticket bhi wohi kharide.
Sachin : Dikhne mein kaise the woh aadmi?
Suraj : Sahab,sakal toh yaad nahi; ek baar hi toh dekha tha
main use.
Kajal : Aur kuch bata sakte ho uske baare mein?
Suraj : Jada tak mujhe yaad hain, uske aankh ke paas ek
chot ka nishan tha.
Sachin : Thik hain, ab tum jao. Kajal, yeah dusre aadmi
shayad kidnappers ke gang se honge.
Kajal : Mujhe bhi aisa hi lagti hain. Lekin aise decription ka
aadmi toh bahot honge.
Sachin : Wohi toh...
***
Abhijit & Daya were on their way to R. K. College. They
had finished visiting Javed's house. Nothing much were revealed.
They had shown the locket & Javed's parents immediately
recognised it, & broke down crying.
" Aap please dhund layie na, mere bete ko! Please
dhund layie use. 1 mahine bit gaye, uska pata nahi chala. Main aur
nahi sahe pa rahi hoon. Aap dhund layie na use... "
These words were still ringing in Abhijit's ears; he only could
give assurances to Javed's parents. Helplessness was everywhere
in his eyes. He could not stop thinking & grieving about that matter
----
" Abhijit? Abhijit? "
" Haan Daya! Kya? Kya baat hain? "
" Kaha kho gaye the tum? Kabse tumhe pukar raha
hoon! "
Abhijit : Nahi... bas aise hi!
Daya : Koi Padishani?
Abhijit : Haan... woh ACP sir ko leke kaafi padishan
hoon. Sir ka yeah halat... socha bhi nahi jaa raha hain.
Daya : Waise kaal to hum dono unko pick up karne hi waale
hain. Sach bolu to... hum log bhi jimmedar hain iske liye.
Humari naa kamiyabi bohot pressure daal diya hain ACP saab ke
upor.
Abhijit : Haan Daya... in gayab logon ko jaldi se humey
dhundna padega; ACP saab ko kuch to rahat de sakte hain.
Daya decided not to progress in the matter further. He
know Abhijit was a lot worried about ACP sir; but that was not the
only reason. He knew Javed's mother's words had affected Abhijit
most --------- as Abhijit knew better than others about the fact that
how much a mother can miss her son.
Abhijit : Chalo, R. K. College aa gaya.
Chapter 8 : So Near, But So far
City Hospital, Cabin No. 707, Next Morning
ACP was half-lying on his bed, awake. He was better now, but worried. Not only for his health, but also for progress of the disappearing case. Although the doctor had ordered him to take fully physical & mental rest. But since when did ACP Pradyumn listen to advices of doctors?
The door opened; & his two best officers entered. ACP asked them, " Kaise ho tum dono? "
Well, the duo were surprised & lost their speech for a moment. Abhijit was the first one to regain control & asked, " Jis sawal hume aapko karna chahiye woh aap hume kar rahe hain? "
ACP : Are main ab thik hoon Abhijit, bas thoda sa to problem hua tha.
Daya : Sir chakkar ana thoda sa baat nahi hain. Aap khud pressure lana chod dijiye sir.
ACP : Agar main kaam nahi karoon toh anarth ho jayegi. Main mamuli chakkar ke bajay se hat jaunga yeah tum soch bhi kaise sakte?
Daya : Sorry sir, hum logon ki wajay se aap ko itna pressure lena pada-------
ACP : Don't blame yourselves. Haan yeah baat hain ki yeah case hum logon ko bohot problem mein fel rahi hain lekin uska mera yeah chakkar se koi lena dena nahi hain. Waise case ka kya haal?
Abhijit : Sir, kuch progress hua to hain. Woh laash Vishal ka hi hain, Dr. Tarika ne DNA test karke bata diya. Aur Javed ka locket ke baare mein to bata chuka hoon. Sachin ne hume phone kar ke bataye thi Javed ke saath bus mein ek aadmi bhi tha, lekin jyada details nahi payi usne. Waise, Javed ko 2 din pehle hi dikha gaya tha us bus mein.
ACP : 2 din pehle???? Loh, kam se kam ek ka to kuch na kuch pata chala! Tumne Javed ke ghar mein yeah khabar di?
Daya : Haan Sir. Uske baad hum Javed ke college gaye. Wahan pe kisi ne toh Javed ko recently nahi dekha. Lekin ek chaukane wali baat hui, jo is case mein naya mor le sakti hain.
Abhijit : Javed ka dost Anish ne apni laptop mein Facebook khula rakha tha. Achanak, mere nazar us taraf gaye. Maine dekha, unhone Javed ka profile khula hain. Javed ke friend list mein ek ladki ka tasbeer maine dekhi --------- Antara.
ACP : Antara, matlab Antara Chaudhuri????? Kareeb 15 din pehle jo gayab hue the?
Abhijit : Haan Sir, wohi! Maine Anish ko pucha, usne kaha woh Antara ke baare mein jyada kuch nahi janta tha. Javed aur Antara facebook me friends the aur ek do baar mil bhi chuke hain.
ACP : Humne gayab logon ka connection dhund rahe the, is Facebook ke baare toh bhul hi gaye the.
Daya : Aaj kal ke zamane mein is Facebook ke wajay se puri duniya jur gayi hain! Hume is ke baare mein aur pata karna chahiye.
ACP : Haan Daya, mujhe lagta hain baki sab log bhi jude hue honge. Kuch to gadbad hain Daya, kuch toh gadbad hain! Waise, jis code ke baare mein tum bataye the, uska kya hua?
Daya : Freddy aur Vivek lage hue hain, lekin kuch mil nahi raha!
ACP : Hmmm... thik hain. Waise main toh aaj hi chutkara paa raha hoon. Main bhi is code ko------
Abhijit : Sir, aap please rest lijiye. Hum hain na, sir! Agar aap ko phirse kuch ho gaya ----------
" Ho jane ka bohot chance hain Abhijit. Bohot gadbad ho sakti hain. "
Abhijit turned around & saw Dr. Shastri entering the cabin. He came & did a few primary check ups of ACP. After some moment, he said ACP was ready to go.
" Ek zaroori baat hain ACP saab. Aap ko main chutkara is liye de raha hoon ki aap rest le sake. "
ACP : Hospital me hi rest ho gaya, Dr. Sahab.
Shastri : Aap ko rest bahar jake lena padega ACP saab. Is sahar ke hawa mein aap ka rest nahi hoga. Mera baat mane toh kisi sunsan pollution free elake mein jakar rest lijiye.
ACP : Lekin Dr. ---------
Shastri : Mujhe pata hain ki aap ki duty kya hoti hain. Lekin agar aap rest nahi liye, toh aap ke duty aur bhi problem mein pad sakte hain. Bas kuch hi dino ke to baat hain, phir aap wapas aa kar kaam pure josh se suru karenge.
Daya : Sir, mujhe lagta hain Dr. Sahab thik kahe rahe hain.
Abhijit : Haan Sir, hum yahan sab sambhal lenge!
Shastri : Aap ka itne achha team hain, kitne honhaar officers hain aap ke paas, phir bhi aap chinta kar rahe hain.
ACP : Mera team toh best hain. Lekin mujhe bhi toh inka saath dena hain na. Har kaam ko kya main inke haath chod sakta hoon. Aap ka advice main jaroor yaad rakhunga, aap itne saal se meri check up karwa rahe hain. Sambhav hue toh, jaroor rest lunga.
***
Javed was sitting in a small, dark room, all alone. The door of the room was kept opened, but he knew perfectly well that there was no escape.
After all he could not escape from a open place, so how can he think of it now? Forget it, forget it...
He took a glance at the piece of paper in front of him. Possibly it was the only thing to think about. Nothing else, nothing else...
He stared at the open door again. & understood once again, the escape was so near, but so far.
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