Raavan

The team of officers were with different sets of clues were running all around the city to catch Raavan. The teams had very few chances before this to get Raavan. If they miss him this time, they will never have another chance. Ramu was with one of the groups searching for Raavan. The jeep they were traveling in has just crossed 180 KMPH. The cyber team, leading the search party, asked the team to stop abruptly. The driver, skillful, he was brought the jeep to a halt. What he did not notice was the slope on. The jeep overturned. Ramu had his heart in the mouth for a second. He overcame his worst fear and somehow came out of the overturned jeep.  

Ramu saw the officers heading toward the house before them. The house was pitch dark except for the light in the top room. Raavan was kept busy talking over the phone by one of the cybercrime officers for this. Without making a single noise they broke into the house. In the very minimal lights emerging out of their mobile phones, the team walked close to the room. The team made sure all the exits are closed and opened the door to the room. Ramu recognized immediately and was in a hurry to shoot him then and there. He tried to pick his hand up to get hold of the gun, but the handcuffs on him stopped him. The officers around asked Ramu to confirm Raavan's identity and he was arrested, and both were taken to Tihar Jail.  

Many years ago  

Raaman Vanamali and Ramachandra (Ramu) were walking back home from school. Ramu and Raaman were discussing how to make their lives better. Ramu and Raaman both came from families of limited means. Both hated their lives. Both wanted to become rich. But the paths they spoke about poles apart. That day Raaman was telling Ramu no matter what happens he will become rich. If that means stepping on the lives hundreds of lives. Ramu could not believe his friend. He wanted to tell him that cannot be a life one aspires. He suttle tries to change his path. Only later does Ramu understand Raaman was not joking.  

That day too Ramu and Raaman were walking home. They were walking in silence when they notice a car. They felt there was something wrong about the car. They walked closer to confirm their doubts. They found that car had an accident. A man in the driver seat was bleeding. He saw them and signaled them to come closer. He handed the kids a suitcase and asked to give it to his wife. The man knew those were his last words. Ramu took note of the address from the driver. The man died moments after he finished speaking to Ramu. Death does not scare them much they have seen enough of the death around them. Before Ramu could talk on a plan with Raaman, he broke open the suitcase. The suitcase was filled with money. After that, there was no talking to Raaman. That was the last of Raaman and the cash. The first step to a crazy future of Raaman was taken on the dead body of that driver.   

Ramu carried the guilt with him, after that, all his life. Raaman left the town with the money leaving behind all his family. Ramu continued his education he did very well, he came first in school and college. After completing a diploma in mechanical engineering, he heads to Chennai in search of a job. A man of limited means he stayed in the poorer areas of the city. When one evening walking back from the job trails Ramu notices a familiar face. He initially could not make out who it was. A little later realizes it was none other than Raaman. His face looked older than what he was, with a large beard. His face had a lot of injury marks which made it initially tough for Ramu to recognize Raaman. What, however, dragged Ramu's attention more towards Raaman was the clout he maintained at that young age? Ramu felt Raaman made the best of the money he got from the accident. But the truth is far from it.  

The next morning Ramu was excited getting called in to interview. It was his dream job, working for an Indian motorcycle company. He did, however, feel a little nervous. The guy next to him notices Ramu. They strike a conversation. The guy enquires Ramu, why is he nervous. Ramu says how the job was his dream and how it is going to change his future. Ramu in return asks the guy how the guy was not nervous at all. The guy laughs out loud and replies, he does not like to work. He just came because his father forced him to go. Ramu could not believe someone can be so reckless. The time for the interview came and they got into interview rooms. Ramu cleared all the rounds and did very well even in the last one. He was confident he was about to get a wonderful job. That evening when the results were stuck to the notice board his name was not there. The guy, who never wanted the job, was the one selected.  

Dejected, Ramu could not leave the place. He stayed on the premises even after the factory was closed. One of the mechanics from the factory floor saw Ramu. He saw there is something wrong with Ramu. He enquired with Ramu what it was. Ramu could not open to a stranger. The man then asked Ramu if he had something to eat. He nodded a "No". The mechanic took him to the small hotel next to there. After having dinner, they both start walking. As they start talking, they each realize they stay in the same locality. The man drops Ramu at his house and was heading home. Ramu opens then and tells the man all about that day's interview. The man tells him to come to the factory again and meet him. Ramu finally asked the man his name. He replied his name is Maruti and guided where to meet him. Ramu went the next day to meet Maruti at the factory. Maruti and Ramu head to the canteen in the factory. Maruti tells Ramu he cannot get the job. The man got selected because he had big support from local rowdy Raavan. Ramu had very little hope, but that too is gone at that moment. Maruti knew what Ramu was going through. He tells him that he got him a job in the assembling section. Ramu wanted to design but he knows he cannot wait any longer. He started in the assembling section from the next day.  

In a short time, Ramu moved up the ladder. He became the supervisor of the section. With the additional money he was earning, Ramu could afford a slightly bigger house and furniture. Ramu brought his family to come and live with him. Maruti has turned a family member and soon the brother-in-law to Ramu. Ramu and Maithili were the happiest of the couples. What Ramu did not notice was the shadow of Raavan. His was the most significant bungalow for the locality. But Ramu did not see too high or dream too big. But their paths were made to collide, Ramu did not know that yet. That evening Ramu was heading home in the new bike he bought that day. The plan was to take Maithili and head to a mandir and then to a late-night movie. The next day being Saturday, he does not worry about sleeping early. As he was about to take a turn into his street a very big car almost runs over him. Ramu could hardly see who is in the car with all tinted glasses. The driver, however, was pointing and shouting Ramu. Ramu gave way and noticed the car heading to this big bungalow. That was the first he noticed Raavan's house. He starts again and heads home. His mother came running out. She was crying loud and was trying to tell something to Ramu. Ramu could not make what she was trying to say. That is when he notices Maruti heading towards Ramu. Maruti tells him that someone took Maithili. He could not believe a word, Ramu runs home and searches everywhere for Maithili. She was not there. Maruti walks in and tells Ramu, it was Raavan who took Maithili.  

Ramu went to Police asking for help. What he learns later was that no one will take a case on Raavan. He tries to plead, beg, and bribe the officer. Nothing was working. With too much anger he starts to shout at the officers. Angry police throw him out of the police station. The way he was pushed he slips on the steps and falls into the water pit, courtesy the rains. Out of nowhere, it starts to rain. The constable guarding the station picks Ramu up. He makes him sit down on the concrete bench outside the station. Ramu asks the constable can he help him. The man replies "No". However, he has one piece of advice for Ramu. Go directly to Raavan and ask him, he may consider. Ramu immediately runs to Raavan's house. But the guards outside won't let him in. They ask him to come the next day. The next morning Ramu woke up early to head to Raavan's house. As he was heading out, he saw Maithili walking to the house. He could not believe his eyes. He wants to go and hold her tight to comfort her and more importantly himself. But she stops him, walks into her bedroom. She takes out all her clothes and burns them in front of a disoriented Ramu.  

Maithili becomes normal, but Ramu does not. That day during lunchtime Ramu tells Maruti how he was not normal anymore. Maruti acts all confused and shocked. Ramu understands there was something Maruti knows and he was hiding. That evening while heading home Ramu stops Maruti and probes him, to tell the truth. Maruti says there is nothing to say. Your wife was as clean as she was before. Ramu replies, I never doubted that. "Something happened before that night which made Maithili react the way she did. I want to know what it is" asked Ramu. Maruti starts telling Ramu what happened.  

Many years ago, Maruti was a jobless kid in search of money. He and his family could hardly afford a single meal. That day he heard one young guy was recruiting youth like Maruti. The guy was not from the city and no one knew what the work was. He, however, offered big money to work with him. Maruti, out of desperation, applies for the job. Maruti was trained in some mixed martial arts as a kid. He was selected. The man who recruited them was none other than Raavan. Maruti is appointed to be a right-hand man to him. Raavan made a lot of money before coming to the city. No one knew how. Some said he robbed people on highways. Some said he created hurdles so drivers on highways had accidents. He will then steal all their money. Sometimes he will steal all the car accessories and sell them off and make money. After making enough money he recruited some rowdies in the city and started blackmailing big businesses. If they don't give him money their businesses won't run. Maruti was one of the henchmen. That is during this time Maruti did a lot of bad stuff. He felt he was doing this for his family. Maruti, being the right-hand man became also the permanent driver. That is where he learned to fix cars and other vehicles.  

One day one of the henchmen, Indra, came to Maruti's house to meet Maruti. The man saw Maruti's sister and fell for her beauty. Maruti was not friends with any of the men of Raavan. As he knew they are all bad people. Indra did, however, try to visit Maruti's home more often and started to pester Maithili. Maithili did not like his advances and complains to Maruti. He warns Indra a few times, but he was not listening to Maruti. Maruti in anger heads to Raavan and complains. Raavan, nonchalantly asks Maruti to let Indra marry his sister and starts making a sound of marriage band with his mouth. All the henchmen start laughing. This made Maruti very angry. He walks out from there and the job that day. Indra then takes Maruti's role and became the righthand man to Raavan. When Ramu and Maithili were getting married Indra had an accident and was in the hospital. The night he came back he took the help of Raavan and kidnapped Maithili. After listening to this, Ramu was proud of Maruti for being able to move out and make a good life for himself. But he still did not know how Maithili came home the next day. Maruti does not want to tell Ramu what happened. But Ramu was not the one to let go. After a lot of probing from Ramu, Maruti finally tells Ramu the truth. Maithili killed Indra man when he tried to touch her that night.  

Ramu felt he will be relieved knowing the truth. But he was not. He wants to do something himself. That day he took leave from work and waits outside the bungalow of Raavan. The whole day was running away but Raavan was not steeping out. Finally, when Ramu was ready to give up Raavan walks out of the building. He does not know what he was expecting, but it was nothing he saw. Raavan is none other than Raaman Vanamali. He headed straight to Maruti's house and told him how he knew Raaman alias Raavan. He tells Maruti he wants to do something to stop Raavan. They both plan to get Raavan arrested.  

The next morning, they head to the police station and complain that their friend Indra is missing. Police were skeptically but after little more requesting, they take the case and start working. The officer notes down the mobile number of Indra. He starts his investigation. He was one who was working for a long time to arrest Raavan. He hoped the case of Indra will help him catch Raavan. Ramu and Maruti were very confident that Raavan cannot escape anymore. As they know exactly where Indra's body was. Maruti himself buried it in the backyard of Raavan's house. The officer called the cybercrime team for help tracking the mobile. They tracked the phone and they find the phone is still active and getting signals. The officer immediately heads to the point where the signals are strong. The officer stops in front of Raavan's house. He, however, is not allowed without a warrant. Being a Saturday officer could not get any. He anyway ignores all rules and forces himself into the building. He goes to the backyard and calls the phone. A subtle sound of the phone could be heard. His team starts digging, 10 minutes of digging and they found it. A mobile phone along and a blood-soaked shirt. But they could not find any dead body. Maruti and Ramu could not believe the body is not there. The officer, however, arrested Raavan in suspicion of finding the blood-soaked shirt. The court dismissed the case soon. No dead body and especially no rules being followed by the officer on duty helped Raavan acquitted. The officer was soon transferred.  

Ramu and Maruti did not give up. They were trying for an opportunity to get Raavan. What they did not realize was Raavan was also looking to catch them. One fine morning when Maruti and Ramu were heading to factory Raavan's car came and stopped them. Maruti pushed Ramu out of the bike and asked him to run away. Ramu tried to pull Maruti and run but Maruti did not come to stop the crew from catching Ramu. Maruti was taken to a remote location. Ramu headed to the police station. The same officer who was waiting to catch Raavan was there. Ramu told the officer that he killed Maruti. The officer could not believe what he was hearing. Ramu repeated that he killed Maruti. He killed Maruti on the order of Raavan. The officer got what was going on. He immediately called and arranged for a warrant to arrest Raavan.  

The officer was confident of arresting Raavan this time. The news of the warrant has already reached Raavan and he already left the city. Ramu was given a day to go out and perform the last rites of Maruti. Ramu explains Maithili everything that happened. How was Maruti targeted and murdered that night? Maithili tells Ramu that she is not going to stay in the dark. She is going to find a way to get Raavan now. Maithili starts digging. She finds all the mobiles of Raavan were switched off and there is no way of finding him. After a little more digging she finds Raavan had a girlfriend who he chats with every Friday. She gives this information to the officer. They keep track of the women's mobile. The officer keeps looking for the call from Raavan. After weeks the women get a call from an unknown number and the call lasts longer than usual.  

They now start tracking the unknown number. But the phone was always switched off. They waited many more weeks the signal was not coming up. Maithili then decides to take things into her hand. She goes to the women. She tells Raavan's girlfriend she is married to Raavan and asks her to keep away from Raavan. The girlfriend full of anger of being betrayed sends someone to Raavan. Raavan calls the girlfriend that night. He starts explaining how he only loves her, and he was not married. She was convinced by his words. She, however, asks him to keep the mobile on after 10 PM. She does not want to wait and send messages from a third person to call him. He feels that should not cause a problem and agrees.  

The next night the police head to the girlfriend's house and blackmail her into keeping the call longer. The cyber police start tracking the location of the mobile. A group of officers along with Ramu head to the location to arrest Raavan. As they come closer to the location, they could not find the exact house. That is when they ask the girl to call him again and ask him to head to the terrace. Raavan heads to the terrace he has no reason to doubt her. Within minutes Raavan is found and arrested.  

After the arrest  

Raavan and Ramu were placed in adjacent cells. Raavan starts to talk to Ramu.  

Raavan: Who is there?  

Ramu: I am Ramu.  

Raavan: Ramu, who?  

Ramu: The reason you got arrested  

Raavan: What did I do to you?  

Ramu: Don't you know, why?  

Raavan: Is it for trying to kill you. You tried to get me arrested first.  

Ramu: No, there is more.  

Raavan: What is it?  

Ramu: Raaman Vanamali, I am your childhood friend Ramu. You cheated me that day and ran away with the money. Then, you went ahead and taken away my chance of getting a job I deserved. I thought that was my luck and moved on with my life. But you then tried to disrespect my wife. I could not take it anymore. So, I placed the body of Indra and you got away. You killed Maruti my dearest friend in response. I found, no other way but to get arrested myself to make sure you are not going to get away this time  

Raavan (Laughing out loud): I did all these bad things and am in jail. You did all things right but still ended up in a cell next to me. What do you have to say for that man?  

Ramu: Anyone who believes I have been right is kidding themselves. That day when you ran away, I did not complain about you. If I did police would have stopped, you and remained Raaman. You would have not turned to be Raavan. The next wrong I did was leaving Maruti and letting him die that day. This is the punishment that God gave to me for making all those mistakes. I deserved every bit of my time here in jail.  

P.S: Raavan was given a double life for killing Maruti. Ramu was given two years for coming forward. Ramu was left out of jail after a year for his good attitude in jail. Raavan too finished his term before a year, when he was killed by one of the ex-cons who worked for him out of revenge. In jail, he was stronger than Raavan.