Return Of Abhimanyu Pratap Singh

“Help me…………………… Abhimanyu……………………………………...” Abhimanyu Pratap Singh woke with a start. He was sweating all over. The table fan was whirring away. He was living in a small one-room apartment far away in a small town, away from all the noises of the big city. There was dust all around in his room as it hadn’t been cleaned in days. There were beer bottles littered all around, the wall was grimy and full of cobwebs. It had a musty smell as if the small window in the room hadn’t been opened for generations; the room felt like it needed some fresh air. The only thing clean was the photograph of the love of his life which hung surprisingly on what seemed to be like a freshly cleaned patch of the wall. It was his beloved wife Priyanshi’s photo who had been ruthlessly snatched away from him. The photo on the wall was that of a young woman who was smiling and full of life. They had a good life together for 2 years, DCP Abhimanyu Pratap Singh and his wife Priyanshi. They were planning to start a family soon. Tragically and unfortunately, all that came to an abrupt end when a twisted killer hell-bent on taking revenge from DCP Abhimanyu Pratap Singh went on a killing spree of people who were closest and dearest to the DCP. Priyanshi who meant everything to Abhimanyu was cruelly snatched away by this killer, right in front of his eyes. Since that day, Abhimanyu resigned from the force and threw away all the promises that life had held for him. He had disappeared completely from everyone’s lives. The police and friends and family all frantically searched for him everywhere, but they came up empty-handed. It felt like he wanted to disappear and have no connection with life anymore. He was living a life of a recluse now. He worked as a mechanic in an obscure garage in Haridwar, where nobody knew him. For the last 10 years, he had been shifting from place to place in search of peace and salvation all across the country. However, both seemed to be too elusive for him.

Now, he has been living in this small town in Uttarakhand for the last two years. He had come to God’s Country to find some answers but had not been able to come up with any. He also had these recurring nightmares of the last terrible moments when the killer had set fire to his only true love and it was truly terrifying to see his wife being burnt alive, right in front of his eyes, and he could not do anything about it. Although he had shot the killer by then it was too late. Priyanshi had suffered 70% burns and had died on the way to the hospital. It was said that DCP Abhimanyu Pratap Singh just stared at the burnt corpse of his beloved wife for hours before he had to be forcefully physically removed from the morgue. It felt that he had gone into a catatonic state but after a couple of hours, he had written up his resignation and left it on the commissioner’s table without even saying goodbye to anyone.

Now the apartment where he was living and the garage where he worked belonged to a 70-year-old amiable Christian, Johny Bhai. Johnny Bhai had also for some time worked in the police force. It was he who had taken an instant liking to Abhimanyu when he had first seen him outside a Dhaba sitting all alone and lost in thought. Abhimanyu also felt a kind of affinity with this old man and agreed to stay with him. Both of them had no one else except each other to keep company. Though it was only Johny Bhai who knew about Abhimanyu and had even felt his grief and suffering; he still gave him a wide berth and respect whenever Abhimanyu wanted to be alone. 

Abhimanyu looked at his broken watch, it was a gift from his ex-wife. He saw it was already 11:30 a.m. and he was already late. Though Johny Bhai never complained and it suited Abhimanyu rather well. Although Johny Bhai had 4-5 people working for him, for him Abhimanyu was the best guy for fixing all kinds of car problems.

One more thing, only Johny Bhai knew who Abhimanyu Pratap Singh was and how could he be reached. Provided he wanted to be reached. This arrangement had suited perfectly well for Abhimanyu for the last 2 years.

However, as they ‘You never know when it kicks you in the gut.’ So, things were about to change.

As I said, life always finds a way to come back and bite you at places where it hurts the most; and it does when you think you have got it all figured out. Abhimanyu was as usual late for Johny Bhai’s garage. When he was on his way, he saw a couple of officious-looking cars at the front entrance of the garage. Suspecting the worst, Abhimanyu made his towards the entrance, he saw Johny Bhai deep in conversation with a turbaned man. This man’s back was facing Abhimanyu but his heartbeat grew as he feared who might be sitting and talking with Johny Bhai.

 “Ah…….. Abhi, you are here.” Johny bhai exclaimed with joy.

“Hello Abhimanyu…………………. How are you?” the man turned and greeted Abhimanyu.

The ground nearly swept away from below Abhimanyu Pratap Singh’s feet. He was in shock when he saw his old boss ex-commissioner, Balwinder Chaddha sitting and enjoying the company of Johny Bhai. However, Abhimanyu managed to regain his composure and said “Johny Bhai, I have taken a look at the axel-rod of the Humvee and it looks fine to me.”

Johnny Bhai looked a bit embarrassed. “It’s been long Abhimanyu………… how have you been doing?” Ex-commissioner Chaddha asked again with a disarming smile on his face despite being ignored in the first place.

“As you can see Sir, I am coping,” Abhimanyu answered in a formal tone looking straight at the ex-commissioner. His eyes had the same look as it had 10 years ago. Balwinder Chaddha noticed that nothing had changed in Abhimanyu’s demeanour, except maybe, he had become a bit sober and calmer person.

By this time, Johny bhai had retreated to a corner to attend to the mundane jobs of the garage and left the two of them alone.

“It’s been quite a while……. Abhi” The commissioner called Abhimanyu by his nickname. Only he and his now-deceased wife were allowed to call him by his nickname.

“That indeed it has been Sir. How are you and how did you find me?” Now it was Abhimanyu’s turn to question. The commissioner looked at him and took some moments before he answered. He took out a thick file folder from the bag he was carrying. By this time, Abhimanyu had realized that something was amiss and he would again be asked to join the force. He was dreading this moment. He had also noticed that the secretary and the bodyguards were now talking with staff and enjoying their tea but had an apprehensive look in their eyes. Anyways, Balwinder Chaddha replied “We need you. I have joined the CBI now and I am heading a Special Projects Team.” He answered.

Abhimanyu’s suspicions came true. He now understood why his ex-boss had come after all these years. He also wondered why his ex-boss never tried to look for him or try to contact him.

All these questions and doubts were so glaringly evident to Balwinder Chaddha. So, he volunteered to answer even before Abhimanyu could pose these questions to him. “I know, you have a lot of questions right now running through your mind. The first one, is why didn’t I try to find out about your whereabouts and how were you?” “Well, the answer to that is I have been keeping tabs on you all these years. Wherever you went, whatever you did, whomsoever you interacted with, I have known all along.” He answered with a knowing smile. “Also, I know Johny Bhai long before you knew him and when he contacted me the moment he spotted you, I asked him to take you under his wings and keep the rest confidential.” Abhimanyu was stunned by all these revelations. He turned and looked at Johny Bhai, who gave him a sheepish smile acknowledging all of this.

Abhimanyu reeled in shock after hearing all of this. However, he calmed himself and said “Anyways Sir, you have come in vain, as I am not going to relive the same agony, misery and hell that I had experienced all those years ago.” He said this with absolute conviction.

Balwinder Chaddha knew what Abhimanyu’s response would be and laid open the file and then showed the images in the file. Inside the file were images of victims dying a horrible and gruesome death. Abhimanyu looked at them and said, “Sir, I am repeating I have left all of that behind me years ago.”

“I know but if you may allow, this time it’s different.” Abhimanyu raised an eyebrow “How?” he asked.

“This time all the victims are criminals, murderers, gangsters, serial killers, child- molesters etc.,” Balwinder replied. All of the lowest of the low people are being taken out methodically.” He continued.

“Well, that’s good. Someone’s doing the job we should have done and not waiting for some courtroom justice which was skewed.” Abhimanyu scoffed.

“Agreed, but these low-lives too have a right. However, abhorring and appalling this idea may seem to you but these people also have a right to live according to our justice system.” Balwinder politely reminded him. Abhimanyu just raised his hands and asked “What do you want from me, Sir?”

“Now you have asked the question which I was waiting for. All this started 6 months ago, when Alok Shinde, the dreaded gangster was found burnt alive in front of his own house and there were no witnesses.” Balwinder replied. “The police were surprised that how come, none of his cronies were with him at the time and how nobody saw what was happening.” He continued. “The police are still trying to solve the mystery there, anyways, just 2 weeks after that Bunty Yadav, the serial sex-offender, who was always caught but got off on technicalities was found dead gruesomely murdered in his farmhouse in Uttar Pradesh.” Abhimanyu was now surprised as he had twice unsuccessfully tried to get him convicted on two murder counts previously. “2 months ago, Sharad Sharma, a noted businessman and a socialite was found hanging in his bedroom in Delhi.” Now, Abhimanyu Pratap Singh was truly mystified and it caught his attention as Sharad Sharma was a well-known and well-respected personality in public and social circles. Balwinder Chaddha looked at his expression and gave a smile. “I knew you would be surprised. We were too when we found that this same well-known personality was a pedophile and a vicious murderer. We found photos and videos of his gruesome acts which he had been carrying out for the last 15 years and nobody knew about it, not even his family.” Balwinder concluded.

“There is another interesting aspect to all these murders. The killer has left his signature by quoting from different religious texts that pertain to deemed punishments to such kind of people.” He added for effect. He could see that Abhimanyu was showing interest, so he continued. “This is the most baffling and bizarre aspect of all these murders. In all of the crime scenes, except where the victim was burned live, we have religious text inscribed on the victim’s chest as well as on the walls with red ink.”

“Furthermore, it seems that killer is a scholar of some sort and who is also a bit of a crazy; though he has proved to be very patient and meticulous in seeking out these people and punishing them.” Now, Abhimanyu was intrigued.

I mean, who would not be mystified by such a person? A person who thinks that he has been endowed with the responsibility of eradicating all forms of evil from this earth, and also who is both learned and insane.

Now, Abhimanyu could understand why his ex-boss had come such a long way. However, this still did not deter his decision to not rejoin the force or accept any kind of inducements. He said, “It’s good someone is taking out the trash, but I am still not going to come back to that world which has cost me so much.” He had conviction in his tone.

Balwinder Chaddha was disappointed as he had very high expectations from Abhimanyu but knew he could not force him, after all that he had done and sacrificed in the name of duty. “Okay, I cannot force you but feel free to contact me if you need anything, Abhi.” With that, he hugged Abhimanyu and left the place. Abhimanyu stared at the cars going back He had mixed emotions as well. He kept staring at the cars until they disappeared out of sight and then went inside. Balwinder Chaddha was disappointed as he had high hopes but he knew that somewhere deep down the line Abhimanyu would rise to the challenge.

That very night, while Balwinder Singh Chaddha had gone to sleep at his farmhouse in Pushp Vihar, Saket, Delhi; someone was desperately trying to save himself from the crazed fanatical killer.

“Thk………………. The………………. Thk.” There was an incessant knocking at Balwinder’s door. “Who can this be at this ungodly hour?” thought Balwinder as he rose to open the door. Now, Balwinder Singh Chaddha was also a widower and lived alone at his ancestral farmhouse. He somehow managed to put on his robe and opened the door. As he opened the door, he was taken aback. He saw in front of him was standing Ranjeet Tyagi, a dreaded gangster, who was wanted for murder, extortion, robbery and narcotics in Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh. Now he was rumored to be branching out to Delhi also. Anyways, Balwinder Singh Chaddha saw a badly bruised and bleeding Tyagi standing in front of him. “You?”

“Please……… Sir……. Help me…... That crazy is going to kill me. I am formally surrendering in front of you.” Ranjeet pleaded and barged into Balwinder’s house. Before Balwinder could respond, Ranjeet fell on his knees and begged to be saved. “Please, Sir……. Mujhe bacha lijiye.” Balwinder could see the stark fear in his eyes as if someone was after his life. He peered outside but could not see anyone. Anyways, he closed the door and turned around and saw Ranjeet still on the ground with folded hands imploring him. Balwinder knew he had to contact the CBI and police headquarters with this new development. “Who is after you and why would anyone try to kill Ranjeet Tyagi, the notorious gangster?” “I don’t know sahabji…… I only know this much ki who ekdum pagal hai aur meri jaan leke hi rahega.” Balwinder could feel that this notorious gangster, a person who had killed many and ruined the lives of many others was whimpering like a puppy in front of him. “Okay, you stay here while I arrange for your transport to police lock up for the moment.” Ranjeet just nodded looking down at the ground. Before Balwinder could call the police from the other room, he heard a nerve-wracking scream. He was unnerved and rushed to find Ranjeet lying on the ground and the killer standing over him and kicking him mercilessly. “Who are you and how did you get in here?” Balwinder asked the intruder in front of him, who looked up at him and gave a sardonic smile. This somehow some more unnerved Balwinder Chaddha. Before he could react, the killer was right in his face and stabbed his heart with such great velocity that it took the life out of Balwinder Singh Chadda. The next day, Delhi woke up to see and hear the gruesome and shocking news of the double murder of Balwinder Singh Chaddha and Ranjeet Tyagi, the dreaded gangster. Citizens, media and law enforcement authorities all were shocked at this gruesome double killing. Here also, the killer had left his trademark on the wall, written in red “I AM THE ONE AND ONLY. I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA”. “ALL start and end on me.”

 These were a few lines written on the wall of Balwinder Singh Chaddha’s house. For the authorities, one thing was puzzling why did the dreaded gangster Ranjeet Tyagi meet Balwinder Singh Chaddha in the first place? How did Balwinder Singh Chaddha know this gangster and was there any other purpose which the anonymous killer interrupted? These and many such kinds of questions were baffling the authorities. Even the media was speculating on these lines and in the process besmirching an honest, brave and courageous officer and putting a dent in his character and dignity.

Johnny Bhai came running to Abhimanyu’s shack and informed him about this tragic incident. Abhimanyu was aghast. He could not believe such a thing could ever happen. Balwinder Singh Chaddha was not only his boss, he was his mentor, friend, and guide, and also, he was also the best man at Abhimanyu’s wedding. It felt that everything had turned black and there was no light coming from any direction. Abhimanyu could not believe that his boss could have met such a gruesome death. “Why is Lady Luck so angry with me?” screamed Abhimanyu in grief and desperation. Johny bhai felt it best to leave Abhimanyu alone for some time. Abhimanyu was oblivious to the world around him, it seemed that he had again gone into that same trance at the time of his beloved wife’s death.

For a few hours, Abhimanyu did not talk to anyone, nor did he come out of his shack. Then, Johny Bhai got a sudden jolt when he saw Abhimanyu all packed up and ready to leave the place. “Abhimanyu…… kya hua. Why are you all packed up as if ready to leave?” Abhimanyu somehow mustered the strength and replied “Yes Johny Bhai. I have to attend to some unfinished business.”

Johnny Bhai could see the steely determination in Abhimanyu’s eyes and knew it would be futile to stop him, so he just nodded. Though Abhimanyu knew it was very selfish of him to leave like this, he knew that he would never be at peace till the time he exorcised his demons. He again looked at Johny Bhai and said “Thank you Johny Bhai for all that you have done for me and if I can, I will return.” Johnny Bhai’s eyes were full of tears, he considered Abhimanyu as his younger brother, as a son, but still, he knew that Abhimanyu was determined and nothing could stop him. So, he just nodded and bid a tearful farewell.

The first thing that Abhimanyu Pratap Singh did when he reached the CBI headquarters was that he asked for whatever information the bureau had on this anonymous killer. At first, the people at the bureau were stunned to see the legend of law- enforcement in front of their eyes. It was with great admiration and respect that Abhimanyu’s cases were still discussed in law enforcement circles. So, the people were a bit taken aback at seeing the person in front of them.

“Were there any witnesses to any of these killings?” was the first question he asked.

“There is one but he is vague on the description.” Answered Shefali, a young and talented officer of the bureau who was very much in awe of Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu looked up at her and saw a very beautiful tall girl standing in front of him. It seemed that the girl was completely mesmerized by the rugged looks of Abhimanyu Pratap Singh. “Tere sapno ka rajkumar aa gaaya… Paaro” Shefali’s colleagues teased her, as they knew that she was always talking about her defunct romantic life and was waiting for some prince charming to re-galvanize her feelings. Abhimanyu however, ignored her expressions and asked “Can I see him also were there any CCTV cameras installed in Balwinder Singh Chaddha’s residence?” “No, there were no cameras.” One of the other people replied, Rohit Sharma, another young, brilliant investigator at the bureau was in complete awe of Abhimanyu Pratap Singh. “Tujhe bhi kya aisa hi sapno ka rajkumar chahiye?” his colleagues joked. He just snubbed them.

Abhimanyu Pratap Singh asked for the autopsy reports. One thing which was shocking to the police officers when they entered the house of Balwinder Singh Chaddha, was that they found Ranjeet Tyagi had been eviscerated while he was still alive. By that I mean, the killer had enjoyed cutting open Ranjeet and taking out his organs while he was screaming in abject terror and extreme anguish. On the other hand, Balwinder Singh Chaddha had been stabbed in the heart once but very violently and with extreme pressure that he had started bleeding out slowly. It seemed to the officers that Balwinder Singh Chaddha had been a helpless spectator to what the killer had done with Ranjeet Tyagi. As Abhimanyu read all of this, he also found that before killing Ranjeet Tyagi with such savagery, the killer had played a little game with his intended victim. He had it seemed beguiled Ranjeet to think that he could escape, which he did. Then the killer threw a heavy vase with such deadly force at the back of Ranjeet’s head, that it made Ranjeet fall to the ground with such a force that it had broken his nose. Then the killer must have dragged his body back to the couch as there were blood stains found on the ground. There was also a report of an injury to the back of Ranjeet’s head. Abhimanyu could see all of this typed in the autopsy report. There was also a strange thing which again left the authorities bamboozled. On each of the victims’ chest was carved in blood the words “Are You Sorry?” This writing was found on all the victims’ chests, including Ranjeet Tyagi’s chest. The worst part of this latest victim was that his eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets in terror.

“I would like to go to Balwinder Sir’s house please.” Asked Abhimanyu.

So. It was up to Rohit Sharma to drive him to the crime scene. As they neared the house, it brought back a lot of memories in Abhimanyu. For instance, the first time he had cleared the examinations and joined the force, the first time he had got involved in a case and wanted advice from his boss and guide. The first time he talked about his affair with Priyanshi etc., all those memories came flooding back to him. However, he knew now it was not the time to reminisce and entered the house with a heart of steel. He could still smell the blood. “Where was Balwinder Sir’s body found?” He asked.

Rohit scrambled to show him the spot where Balwinder Singh Chaddha’s body had been found. Abhimanyu stood still for a few moments, as he could visualize the scene where Balwinder was slowly bleeding to death and he could not do anything about it as he had to watch the killer’s gruesome handiwork. Anyways, as he was going around the residence, he found a very interesting object lying next to the place where Balwinder’s body had been found. He was surprised how could the police have overlooked it. He surreptitiously picked it up when Rohit was not looking and put it in his pocket. This would prove to be a very crucial part of evidence later on.

They returned to the bureau. Abhimanyu was tired so he asked whether he could interview the witness tomorrow as he was very tired.

The next day, Abhimanyu got up early. Anyway, he was in the habit of getting up late, but somehow, he managed to rise early that day. He went to the bureau and saw Rohit and Shefali already present in the bureau. He then asked the witness to be brought in.

He saw a tall, gangly fellow being brought in. The way this young man walked told a lot of things about him. This young man was scared and confused. “What’s your name?” asked a smiling Abhimanyu to make the young man comfortable. The man squinted at him and with a bit of apprehension replied “Chintu, Sir.” “Well, I am Abhimanyu Pratap Singh. How are you?” he said extending a hand. Chintu nervously shook his hand and sat down on the chair opposite Abhimanyu. “I am okay sir.” He answered looking down. Abhimanyu knew that Chintu was very scared and nervous and offered him a cup of tea and made small chit-chat. “Where do you live and what do you do?” “I am a student sir and I live very close to where Balwinder Sir lived. “He nervously replied.

“Where were you at the time of the murders and what were you doing at that time?” Abhimanyu asked this time a little bit more seriously.

Chintu looked up and hesitated before answering “Sir, I have a habit of often going out of the house at odd times for a smoke and also to clear my head during the night occasionally. That day also, I had gone out for a smoke.” Chintu replied.

“So, I had gone out for a smoke and to clear my head when I saw a tall strong man walking out of Balwinder Sir’s house.” “Did you get a good look at him?” Abhimanyu asked.

“No sir, it was dark and the man was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood covering his face. I felt it a bit odd at the moment. I mean who wears a sweatshirt with a hood in July?” Chintu finished describing what he saw.

Abhimanyu could somehow feel that Chintu was still nervous and was trying to hide something. However, he had to let him go but asked the police to keep a close watch on him.

The next day, he instructed that members of Ranjeet Tyagi’s gang should be brought in for questioning. Sunny Singh, the right-hand man of Ranjeet Tyagi was another dreaded gangster. He was short in stature, but full of muscles and he had a deep scar running down the length of his face which made him an experienced gangster who had seen the rough side of gangster life. He spoke with a rough voice.

“Sirji, Ranjeet bhai ke bahut dushman the. Kaun kab mauke ke talaash me tha , yeh hame bhi nahi pata.” He replied when Abhimanyu asked him if he knew who might have any kind of hostility towards Ranjeet Tyagi. “We are also surprised why Balwinder Sir was killed, although he was a cop, like you, we still respected and admired him,” Sunny replied looking at Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu looked at him disdainfully. He knew that Sunny Singh was lying through his teeth because this guy was known to use any kind of situation to his advantage. So, here also, he was trying to do the same. Abhimanyu had to let him also go because there was no proof that Sunny Singh had any involvement in these murders.

Days dragged on and there was still no clue that could help the investigation. On the other hand, the Ramjeet Tyagi gang had acknowledged Sunny Singh as its legitimate leader and was back in full swing. It was a Wednesday evening, Sunny Singh and a few of his cronies were sitting at a favourite bar drinking and enjoying the scene when Sunny had to go to the washroom to relieve himself. As he was in the process of coming out, out of nowhere a gloved hand clamped down hard on his mouth and Sunny could feel that someone had injected something into him. Before he could resist, he felt pangs of nausea overtaking him and gradually his head lolled to one side. The killer then dragged the unconscious Sunny into a side entrance and there he sprinkled some water on him. As Sunny Singh came to, he saw a tall man standing in front of him with some kind of tools which looked like worker’s tools. He naturally grew scared and remembered how his ex-boss had been murdered. Still, he tried to bluster his way out of the situation. “Abbey kaun hai be tu? Tu jaanta nahin main kaun hoon?” The killer just looked at him and hit him viciously with a hammer. Sunny Singh could not react as he was still feeling nauseous and hazy. He looked at the killer in fear and tried to scream but before he could do that, the killer again hit him in the same spot. Sunny was dazed and his forehead was bleeding profusely where the hammer had struck; he was also in pain but he could not do anything as his hands and feet were tied. The killer asked, “Aren’t You Sorry?” Before Sunny Singh could reply the killer again hit him. Sunny knew that the killer was not interested in his reply and started begging for his life. The killer just laughed and kept on hitting him, splattering brain, tissues and blood everywhere, not satisfied till Sunny Singh’s feet stopped kicking in despair. Once satisfied, he took out a handkerchief from Sunny Singh’s upper breast pocket which the gangster had always displayed with pride. It was a ladies’ perfumed handkerchief, and with that, he rubbed his face and then went about dipping a sharp pointed knife in Sunny Singh’s blood and wrote on the wall “Vengeance is Mine; And I Shall Have It.” With this, he quietly went through the side entrance and entered the club, had a drink and exited the club.

Abhimanyu Pratap Singh was being inundated by calls from the top brass at the CBI to solve this case as they were getting a lot of flak, especially after this latest murder. Here also, on the victim’s chest was inscribed the perplexing question “Are You Sorry?” Abhimanyu and the rest of the team were trying very hard to understand the meaning of this question. Meanwhile, Shefali, who had been tasked by Abhimanyu to find out about the lines on the walls had finally managed to solve the riddle. According to her, these were lines taken from religious texts that specifically dealt with crime and punishment. This was a crucial breakthrough for the team because it gave them an idea of building the psychological profile of the killer. For this, they also had the help of world-renowned criminal psychologist Dr Alok Sinha. Dr. Sinha had studied under one of the most renowned criminal psychiatrists in the world and had been a respected member of the Indian Psychiatry Association. He has also published many books and was a guest lecturer in many prestigious colleges. He also often was a celebrity guest on television talk shows. Here, he had earlier also helped the bureau in catching some difficult criminals.

Abhimanyu after seeing and talking with Professor Sinha was however unimpressed. This was surprising to the rest of the bureau. This however did not change the impression that Dr Sinha had of Abhimanyu. “I have heard and read a lot about you. You are one of the last great heroes that the world has ever seen.” He addressed Abhimanyu with all these praises when he met him. Abhimanyu noticed that Dr. Sinha was a tall man and had still maintained an erect posture despite his age. He also observed that the Dr had a habit of lighting up a cigar at all times. He also used a very expensive cigar cutter for this purpose. This reminded Abhimanyu of the thing he had found Balwinder Singh Chaddha and Ranjeet Tyagi’s murder spot. He also got a shock when the Dr said “He is not going to stop here. He is going to keep going because he thinks it’s his moral and legal duty to get rid of all kinds of evil from society.” Abhimanyu was taken aback and asked, “How are you so sure about this?”

Dr Sinha looked at him and with a knowing smile replied “You have seen that he is using lines from religious texts to justify his actions. That means he is both learned and, in his delusion believes that it is his responsibility to deliver the world from evil.” “But how do you know that he is again going to kill Dr?” Abhimanyu persisted.

Dr Sinha looked at him and asked “Let me ask you one thing, when we are down with any kind of ailment, don’t we try to get rid of this ailment as soon as possible? This is the same kind of mentality and thought process of the killer. You see, the world is plagued with all kinds of evil. Somebody has to take responsibility for cleaning up humanity as no one else can or will.” Dr Sinha replied with a strange conviction and glow in his eyes. Abhimanyu was taken aback by this reply but chose to keep quiet.

 Chintu had usually gone out in the night for a smoke and also to clear his head as he was under tremendous guilt and pressure of not disclosing his addiction to Abhimanyu. You see, Chintu was addicted to drugs and he occasionally used to smoke weed. This is what he was doing right now. He now decided to come clean and confess about this to Abhimanyu when he saw the door was slightly closed, he was surprised as he had kept it open. He immediately went on the alert. He slowly moved forward looking for any kind of danger. As he peered into the darkness of the room, he suddenly felt a cold chill running up his spine. Remember, it’s still July. However, mustering enough strength, Chintu entered the dark confines of his house. The minute he entered the house someone jumped on him. The next day, the people of Saket were stunned when they saw Chintu hanging from the lamp post, all naked and the words carved on his chest “Are You Sorry?” At his house, on the walls were written the lines “The world is full of evil. Someone has to fight it.” Abhimanyu was completely at a loss of words at this latest killing. He felt sorry for Chintu. The media and netizens were demanding that some

 immediate action should be taken. They were screaming down on CBI top brass; who were demanding answers from Abhimanyu.

 Here, Abhimanyu made a similar kind of discovery at Chintu’s murder spot that was very startling for him. He found a piece of an unfinished cigar. He very carefully pocketed it and later on, sent it for forensic analysis. This was a very unique kind of cigar which the Dr used to smoke. He knew no one would believe him if he said that he had his suspicions about the psychologist, Dr. Sinha. So, he decided to launch an investigation of his own. He instructed Rohit to surreptitiously follow Dr Sinha. At first, Rohit was confused and mystified by this unusual order but he knew that Abhimanyu might have some basis; that’s why he had ordered that Dr Sinha be put under discreet surveillance. “No one should know that you are following him. And you will only report to me. I want all the information regarding where he goes, who he meets, what time he eats, sleeps etc. Do you understand?” Abhimanyu instructed Rohit. Rohit just dumbly nodded and went about doing as he was instructed.

Shefali, meanwhile while analyzing the latest writing on the wall had found a discrepancy. This was shocking as well as baffling. According to her, this time the killer had used lines from a book written by the world-famous author Ernest Hemingway. She could not understand this deviation. From taking lines out of religious texts to using lines from well-known authors. When Abhimanyu asked Dr. Sinha about this latest tactic, the psychiatrist replied “he knows that you know; therefore, he is trying to mislead you.” Abhimanyu, by this time, was gradually understanding why the doctor had requested to be a part of this investigation and why he had ready answers for every single question. Rohit also had reported some bizarre information about Dr Sinha, this was perplexing for Abhimanyu but he was convinced that the doctor was somehow involved in all these murders. He had also got the DNA report on the unfinished cigar. The result of this was most shocking to Abhimanyu, but he decided to keep quiet until the opportune moment. Another important fact that led Abhimanyu to believe that he was very near to catching the killer was one day, the good doctor, Dr Sinha asked “Has anyone seen my cigar-cutter? I seem to have misplaced it somewhere.” Abhimanyu could see the desperation in the psychiatrist’s eyes as he desperately searched for the cigar cutter. Abhimanyu just kept quiet and said nothing despite knowing that a cigar cutter was kept in the evidence locker, which was quite similar to the one Dr. Sinha was looking for.

Rohit, on the other hand, had followed Dr Sinha to some strange areas throughout the day and after following the doctor to his home, had returned to his place. As he was about to enter his home, Rohit suddenly found someone grabbing him from behind and with one powerful twist broke his neck. The lifeless body of Rohit slipped to the ground from the grasp of the killer. Shefali was aghast as the bureau came to know about Rohit’s murder. She had a soft spot for him and considered him as her best friend, as they had been fast friends since the time they had joined the bureau. Abhimanyu too was taken aback and was greatly grieved to hear this unexpected murder of a promising young officer. He also felt somehow personally responsible for Rohit’s death, as he had personally sent Rohit on this mission. The top brass was astounded and enraged at an officer’s death and also wanted answers from Abhimanyu. The media on the other hand was having a field day with its screaming headlines “An Officer of the Bureau becomes the latest victim of the anonymous serial killer.” Abhimanyu knew he had a lot of explanation to give in front of the top officers of the CBI. He was personally called by the Director of the CBI to explain.

“I know that you have gone through a lot Abhimanyu, and the bureau thanks you for your cooperation, However, can you please explain about this latest unfortunate incident?” The director had a steely undertone in his line of questioning. Abhimanyu replied “Sir, I think I may have found the killer. I have some evidence but no one is going to believe me, so I am waiting for the right opportunity to catch him in the act.” Though the Director was not very convinced he knew from Balwinder Singh Chadha that Abhimanyu was the best investigator. So, he had to go along with his judgment. Abhimanyu had on a whim, asked for the CCTV footage from the management of the bar where Sunny Singh had been killed. Here, his suspicions about the killer turned into concrete belief as he keenly watched the video. He knew that he was very close to the killer.

Days dragged on and Abhimanyu kept on working with renewed vigour and decisiveness. He was also enraged at this latest killing, as was Shefali and the rest of the bureau. The biggest opportunity came when Abhimanyu, one day, got a strange call in his cabin.

“Hello Officer, how are you?”

“Do you recognize me?”

Abhimanyu’s blood froze. It was the same eerie cold voice of Professor Arjun Shrivastava. The wily, cold psychopathic killer who had outwitted the police for so long. After a second’s pause, Abhimanyu regained his composure and said “How can I forget you, Professor? What can I do for you?”

I hope you haven’t forgotten about Professor Shrivastava. The man was simply a genius and he was famous too. He was a kind of idol for people who wanted to emulate him and admired him for his ingenuity in escaping from prison. The wily professor gave the same screeching laugh and said “Hehehehehe…………… It’s me who can help you Officer, not the other way around.” Abhimanyu was rattled by the grating sound the professor’s voice made. He was disturbed already and this made him enraged, but he managed to keep his calm and started thinking over the phone. In a flash of a moment, it came to him that why not use the professor’s particular skills to work? He outlined his plan to Professor Arjun Shrivastava.

“Hmmmm……….” The Professor replied.

“What will I get out of it?” He asked.

Abhimanyu was incensed. After all, this was a criminal who had cunningly deceived the police and was now living royally somewhere. The fact that he had the galls to go for a deal infuriated Abhimanyu, but he still kept calm and asked “What do you want Professor?”

“Hmmm ... let me think. Well, for starters, I will not be locked up again and all my previous benefits would be restored to me.” Abhimanyu knew that the top brass at the bureau would never go in for his demands, but he also knew that, right now, the professor was the best bet to make the killer bungle and fall right into a police trap. After a few seconds pause, the professor grew irritated and asked “I haven’t got all day, have I? Or, you are trying to pinpoint the location from where I am calling?” Abhimanyu said, “Give me a few hours and you will have your answer by tomorrow same time.” The phone clicked. Abhimanyu then went straight to the Director’s office and told him about this bizarre conversation with the professor. At first, the Director was excited that they could catch the much-wanted professor in this. However, when Abhimanyu told him about the professor’s demands, the Director grew furious and outright rejected the offer. It was with great difficulty that Abhimanyu could convince the Director to give the green light to this operation.

“I hope this does not leak out to the press that we were inadvertently involved in the killing of another human being, otherwise, the press and the politicians are going to have a hey-day and chew us alive.” The Director said.

Abhimanyu assured him nothing of that sort would take place. The next day Abhimanyu gave the approval when the professor called him at the same time. Ironically, despite the best efforts of the police department, the call could not be traced.

A few days later, Babloo Prasad, another dreaded gangster whom the Delhi Police had been frantically searching for the last 2 years, got information that the person who had killed his best friend, Sunny Singh was at a remote house on the outskirts of Gurgaon. He immediately rushed to that spot, desperately seeking vengeance for what the killer had done to Sunny Singh. As he entered the abandoned building, someone coldly shot him from behind.

Babloo Prasad never knew what or who his killer was as he fell to the ground dead. The next day, the newspaper headlines screamed “Anonymous Vigilante Killer Strikes Again. This time, another dreaded gangster has been taken out.”

The killer when he saw the news on television, flew into a rage and smashed the TV screen. Babloo Prasad was next on his list. How could anyone else snatch the opportunity from him to cleanse the society? He was more furious as this time there was justification found for the killing and there were no usual signatures of the killer in this latest murder, which could be attributed to this so-called ‘Vigilante Killer’. He wanted desperately to find the person who had snatched away this opportunity from him.

You know, when things are done in a state of haze of mixed emotions, one is bound to some mistakes. So, the killer also made this mistake and this was the opportunity that Abhimanyu was looking for. After a few days, Abhimanyu floated into the underworld through his informers and contacts that this killer had been seen near Mehrauli village. Anyone who has more information on this killer, kindly contact the authorities. This news was like a heaven-sent message for the killer. He immediately went to this abandoned house in Mehrauli, where he thought that the killer might be. This was the biggest mistake the killer had ever made in his spree. He never could understand that all of this was part of a carefully laid plan to trap him. Here, Professor Arjun Shrivastava and Abhimanyu Pratap Singh with the rest of the police team would be waiting to catch him.

As he entered the cottage, he saw Professor Arjun Shrivastava sitting with his back to him. The killer thought this was the moment he was looking for and as he crept towards the professor, he did not notice Abhimanyu slowly creep behind him and place the cold steel of the revolver at the base of his neck.

“Welcome, Dr Sinha, we have been waiting for you.” Professor Arjun Shrivastava replied as he turned towards Dr Alok Sinha, the psychiatrist who had been helping the police. Dr Sinha tried to advance towards the professor but Abhimanyu pressed the tip of the barrel and said “One step further and I will blow your head off Dr.” “Now, slowly turn around and keep your hands where I can see them.” Abhimanyu ordered. As the psychiatrist turned around, he was shocked to see a whole phalanx of police personnel pointing guns at him. He knew his game was up and surrendered.

“Why did you do this Doctor?” Abhimanyu asked.

“Because the world needed cleaning and still does. The world has been corrupted by the immoral characteristics and downtrodden behaviour of the people in it.” “They have lost the way and hence they don’t deserve to live any longer.” The professor shouted. His eyes suddenly glowed maniacally. Everyone present there could understand that Dr. Sinha was truly completely insane.

“How did you know where to find all of these people whom you have murdered?” Abhimanyu asked.

“I have been a criminal psychiatrist and profiler for the police for a long time. So, I knew how these low-lives would behave, where would they go and what their daily routines would be. Also, I had access to some confidential data, hence, I took advantage of this information.”

Abhimanyu was stunned. “No one has the right to decide who will live or die doctor; especially, you should have known this. Why did you kill Balwinder Singh Chaddha, Chintu and my junior Rohit? What had they done to you?” Doctor Sinha looked straight into Abhimanyu’s eyes and said “Those were collateral damage and I am sorry for Rohit. I had no intention of killing him but he knew that I was the killer and he posed a danger to my plans.”

Abhimanyu was shocked to hear all of this, even Professor Arjun Shrivastava whistled out aloud when he heard this. Abhimanyu was disgusted and enraged, but he had to maintain his calm and said “Take him away before I take care of this low-life scum.” With that, Dr Alok Sinha was taken away.