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NOTE: This story is inspired from a real-life incident, that happened in Chennai. It’s about a sensational case which was spoken in the nook and corner of India in 2017. While inspired by true events, for the respect of the victim, I have taken creative liberties to change the name, places, dates and merged many incidents in one fictional timeline. This story doesn’t claim accurateness or factuality of the events.
No defamation/offense/insult/accusation is intended against any person. The purpose of this story is not to hurt anyone but to tell the tragic story of the victim in the larger interest of humanity and justice.
DISCLAIMER: Due to the excessive violence, brutality and sexual harassment scenes, parental guidance is recommended to kids!
DECEMBER 2, 2017
CHENNAI
In an apartment which is away from the usual busy of Chennai, a couple named Sekar and Sarala was living there. There was 15 years age gap between Sekar and Sarala. But it was not a barricade for their happy life and as a gift of their happy marriage they had 2 sons. Even though Sekar was retired from his job, even after the retirement he went to another job. Loving wife, two beautiful sons, peaceful life, in their life which was going like a clear water, suddenly a big storm hit their life. Even though the storm didn’t affect their family directly, it destroyed another family in the apartment. Because of that, their family felt shameful to come out and face the society. Without being able to face others they remained inside the house. All the media spotlights in India fell on them. (Normally if media’s spotlight fell on a person, they should have achieved something big, or else they should have been affected heavily. If not they should have done a shameful mistake. Only then the media will cover them. You will soon know in which category their family falls.) Since they had media spotlight continuously, and since they hesitated to face the neighbors, they felt like being in an isolated island even though everyone is around.
To avoid humiliation, Sekar and Sarala vacated the house and went to an apartment in Kundrathur. In their life which was peaceful after they came to Kundrathur, again a storm started to hit and this time, it doesn’t affect another family. But it started to destroy their family. Again they became the spotlight of the media and couldn’t face the neighbors. But the loss is to their family.
On December 2, 2017, Sarala was brutally murdered. Even though the neighbors didn’t show pity on Sekar’s family. They showed hatred.
(Till now the things which I said, is like a riddle right? So what happened in their life? Even though a women was brutally murdered in their family, without pitying on them why the people bad mouth them. Who killed Sarala brutally?)
DECEMBER 2, 2017, EVENING
When all the apartments in Kundrathur is as usual, Sekar and Sarala’s apartment was very busy and panicked. It had a very important reason. Because they heard a women scream and murmuring. That too, the sound came from Sarala’s house. The sound was also Sarala’s. The neighbors panicked and started ringing the calling bell. But they didn’t hear any sound other than Sarala’s screaming.
The neighbors continuously rang the calling bell and knocked on the door. In a few minutes a man’s voice started hearing inside the house.
They heard, “There is no problem here. I will look after it.” Hearing this, the neighbors started to panic. A lot of people started to fear and thought they shouldn’t meddle in this. (If you ask why they should fear by hearing the voice inside the house means, the history of that man is like that. If you ask whether it is Sarala’s husband Sekar voice means, no. It’s not. Because at that time, without knowing what is happening in the house, he was working at the office.)
Even though the neighbors panicked and came away from there, they immediately informed the police. But before the police arrived, a man who came out of the house took Sarala’s two wheeler and left quickly.
Inspector Adhithya who went inside the house felt giddy. Since the scene was like that. In the hall Sarala was brutally murdered. The house was full of blood. They couldn’t even keep their feet anywhere. With the face they came to a conclusion that it was Sarala. But only the face was there and there was no head. To the extent her head was smashed.
Sekar who came there by hearing the news, started to freeze without saying anything. Now Sekar who heard the things from the neighbors, said: “Oh my god! The mistake I made in my life is the reason for this.” He started crying by hitting his head.
In the forensic report, the doctors said: “The killer repeatedly hit Sarala’s head and murdered her by using an iron rod, which is used to peel coconut.” This shocked Adhithya.
In a parallel investigation, Adhithya’s team found that the killer stole Sarala’s nuptial chain and jewels from the house. While investigating the case, he started searching for the killer. Usually Adhithya will find the killer after the investigation. But in this case, after knowing the killer he started the investigation.
(I said that hearing the voice of the killer the neighbors were scared. Not only they heard his voice. But he came out from the house with a bag and saw him going in Sarala’s vehicle.) Hearing what they said Sekar said: “I had made a great sin.” Everyone knows who the killer is.
“Sir. Reporter Ramkumar Pandey has come to meet you.” A police constable informed Adhithya, who was sitting in his chair by closing the eyes.
Now, Adhithya opened his eyes. Looking at the constable, he replied, “Ask him to come.”
Without wasting single time, Pandey asked about the progress of Sarala’s case.
Pandey further asked, “Sir. What sin did Sekar commit? Who the killer is? Why the killer killed his wife and stole everything from the house?”
With a little smile and anger in his eyes, Adhithya looked at Pandey, who was cool and relaxed. But, he said to the reporter: “Sir. I am struggling to find clues. While you are investigating me with lots of questions!”
“Sir. You have a clue for this case” said Pandey. Feeling happier, Adhithya asked: “What clue?”
“To know answer for all the questions in your mind, you should hear a small flashback from me sir. Are you ready to hear that flashback?” asked Pandey, to which Adhithya nods his head.
“Yes. But a small disclaimer. The flashback will be more brutal than this.” As Pandey said like such, Adhithya was too eager to hear the flashback.
Noting that, Pandey said: “Yes sir. This is the thing which shouldn’t happen in any house. And the incident which shocked the whole India and made everyone cry.”
FEW MONTHS BACK
FEBRUARY 5, 2017
MOULIVAKKAM, CHENNAI
Dinesh who was staying in the same apartment as Sekar and Sarala, for going shopping with his wife and two children, came down from the apartment. When they came down, seeing the children playing down, his 7 year old daughter Vandhana started to ask permission for playing. The time is near 6 in the evening. He left his daughter to play there.
Dinesh took his son Viraj and wife Varshini in a bike. He came home in the next 1 hour. When the family returned back, they were shocked. Vandhana was missing where the children were playing. Seeing this Babu and Varshini were shocked about their missing daughter. They went and looked in their flat. But Vandhana was not there. Now they started to get more scared. Usually where their daughter will go and play, they went to that places and started to check. But they couldn’t find her anywhere.
Now along with the parents the whole apartment started looking for Vandhana. But no use. Even after searching from 7 to 9 p.m., where did the child go and what happened to her, is not known.
Immediately in Mangadu police station, Dinesh and Varshini made a missing complaint. After registering the complaint the police started the investigation. Since there was no improvement in the investigation, Dinesh started checking the CCTV footage by himself. This CCTV outside their apartment and the nearby temple, like this even after checking the 40 hours CCTV footage, he couldn’t find any information about where his 7-year old daughter Vandhana went and with whom. But something doesn’t feel right in his heart.
When Dinesh said about it to the police, they caught and investigated that person. Since the person’s answer was contradictory, they started to suspect him more. After knowing that the police was investigating him, the apartment people said: “We were also suspecting him.” The reason is a lot of bikes went missing in the apartment. When they searched for the person they found that he did this. Since they were in the same apartment and his parents pleaded them, without giving any complaint they forgave him. Since now they started suspecting him in a 7 year old girl’s missing case, everyone suspected him that he might have done this.
There is an important reason why Dinesh suspected him in his child’s missing case. Vandhana was missing even after checking the whole apartment. After going to the police station for registering a complaint, he went outside with a bag. Similarly when he came back the bag was not with him. When the apartment people investigated about it he started answering contradictory.
PRESENT
0, 0);">“When the police started investigating in their style, what did he do that 7-year old child Vandhana, and the things which will scare the girl’s parents to death, he gave a confession which shocked the whole India.” At present, Pandey said to Adhithya, who was shocked.
However, he was confused with what Pandey said and questioned him, “But, there’s no connection between this Sarala’s case and that 7-year old girl’s case right?”
“Both these cases are connected sir” said Pandey.
“What did he confess?” asked Adhithya, to which Pandey started narrating the confessions of that culprit to him.
FEBRUARY 5, 2017
Daswanth who is the eldest son of Sekar and Sarala, completed mechanical engineering. He was working in a software company. But since he got money in his house whenever he asked, and since he was like a pet in his house, he left the job and started to roam around. While, his brother was studying in college. Without going to job or having any dream, what a person will do if he gets money whenever asked, he did all that. Yes. Drinking, women and betting. He did all this.
When Daswanth had no money he started stealing bikes and selling it. In that he had a routine of seeing pornography(porn/p***n) videos.
On February 5, when no one is in home, he saw the video and came out. He saw the seven year old girl Vandhana, who was playing out. When he was looking his thoughts became horrible. When no one was looking he brought the kid alone to his flat in the pretext of calling her to play with a dog in his house.
When the innocent kid Vandhana went to play with the dog in Daswanth’s flat, this stray dog forcibly tore away her clothes. After removing her clothes, he raped the innocent kid by keeping her in nude and supine position. Unable to bear the pain, the kid started screaming. Fearing that he will get caught if the noise gets out, he took the blanket and pressed Vandhana’s nose and mouth. The kid who struggled to breathe, after lot of struggle died in a few minutes.
After knowing that Vandhana died without any panic, Daswanth took a big travel bag. Like folding a cloth he folded the kid and kept it in the bag. Dinesh who returned home in one hour after shopping, was searching for his kid. He also acted like searching for her. After everyone went to the police station at 9:00 p.m. He thought that it is the perfect time and took out the bag which he hid.
In the new Pulsar bike without any number plate, Daswanth went to the nearby petrol bunk. There he bought a can of petrol and went to an isolated place. There he poured the petrol in the child(Vandhana’s) body and started burning it. After confirming that the body is fully burned, he came back to his apartment. Like nothing happened he started to be casual.
To the media who came after knowing the child Vandhana’s missing, along with the rest of the people in the apartment, with anger and furious voice Daswanth gave an interview to find the kid Vandhana.
PRESENT
“Not only he confessed all this. He also showed the place where he burned the child. The police who recovered the body of Vandhana, sent it to autopsy immediately. If the body is fully burned they can’t confirm it with the DNA. But luckily a small part from the thigh, and inside part of the lower lip was not burned. The police who did the DNA test with that confirmed that it was that kid. They sent the kid’s skull to Hyderabad forensic department to super impose and started to continue their formalities. (Super impose is nothing but, they will create the body of the dead with the skull and match it. Now you may have a doubt. There is a forensic department in Chennai. You might ask a question why they sent it to Hyderabad. Each forensic department will be specialized in something. There is no facility in Chennai to super impose. All the states in South India will send the details to Hyderabad to super impose. So they will have a lot of pending cases. That’s how they kept this case in pending. But can you believe that it was the reason for another murder, sir?” asked Pandey, to which Adhithya questioned: “Another murder?”
“Yes sir. Police who arrested Daswanth in pocso act, charged him with kidnapping, murder, destroying evidence and 3 other cases” said Pandey.
FEBRUARY 2017
Daswanth’s father Sekar sold all his property and hired a lawyer. And while the trail Daswanth threatened the kid’s father Dinesh in the court.
He threatened him by saying: “I will kill your son like your 7-year old daughter.” According to the Pocso act within 90 days the police should submit the charge sheet. But since the report of super impose from Hyderabad was delayed, police did not file a charge sheet in 90 days. With this as a reason Daswanth got a bail easily. He stayed with his parents in Kundrathur. Till he came out in bail the people in Kundrathur apartment, does not know that Sekar and Sarala were Daswanth’s parents. And once they knew it everyone was frozen in shock.
After coming out through bail, without any guilt, Daswanth started to spend again in drinks and women. When he started to ask money often at home, he started to fight with his parents.
Sekar and Sarala started scolding Daswanth: “You are not feeling sad even after doing such a shameful thing.” On December 2, when he asked for money, immediately he and his mother started to fight. Because of this Daswanth became angry. With an iron rod(which is used to peel coconut), he continuously hit her head. Even after she was suffering in pain he didn’t take pity on her. Without having a thought that she is his mother, until she died Daswanth kept on hitting her in the same place. Even though the neighbors became suspicious and knocked the door, he calmly said: “There is no problem. I will look after it.”
PRESENT
After Pandey said everything, Adhithya understood that both these cases are same.
“After killing his mother the first thing Daswanth did is, he took away her nuptial chain. Look how shameless he is, sir.” Adhithya said to Pandey.
“After killing his own mother and while his father is alive, he took away his mother’s nuptial chain and took all the money and jewels from the house. He escaped from there.” Pandey said. He further said to Adhithya: “After knowing about this only Sekar started crying that he has done a great sin in his life.”
“I understood what it is sir” said Adhithya. He further told: “It is nothing but, Sekar took Daswanth out in bail by spending a lot of money and it became a bane for his family.”
In the police investigation, Daswanth met his inmates in Puzhal jail. Through them he sold the jewels and went to Bangalore in bus. From there he escaped to Mumbai. Adhithya and his team followed him to Mumbai. They found him near race club and arrested him.
When Adhithya arrested him, and came to the airport, a shock was waiting for Adhithya and his team. Airport authorities who saw handcuffs in Daswanth’s hand, said: “Sorry sir. We can’t allow a criminal to travel with other passengers.” They sent them away. After completing the formalities to take him in the flight, Adhithya thought of taking him in the flight the next day and stayed in a hotel. While eating, he asked to go to restroom and escaped from there.
Adhithya and his team were chasing Daswanth for nearly 1 km. In a place he climbed a wall near the road and went to another road and escaped from there. But the next day with the help of the Mumbai police, Adhithya arrested him in a p**** house and brought him to Chennai. Now when they investigated him again, he not only thought of killing his mother, he said a shocking news that he planned to kill his father too. Since he was late from the duty that day he escaped without killing him. His friend who gave him money by taking the jewels, gave him less money. Angered by this, Daswanth puts him in his next hit list.
ONE YEAR LATER
FEBRUARY 19, 2018
In this case which happened in Chennai Mahila court, on February 19, 2018, Daswanth was given 46 years old imprisonment and a death sentence and the high court confirmed it. His mother Sarala’s murder case is still pending.
EPILOGUE
“If you give over freedom to a child, this case is a perfect example of what will be the result. At the same time, we should be very careful in the safety of girl children. Pocso act was introduced. Because even a child was slightly sexually abused, they should be given a very hard punishment. And no one can compensate the loss of the dead kid’s parents in this case. Even though the judgement of this case, might have created a fear in people who is thinking of doing the same. The unlimited money and freedom, is the reason for Daswanth like killers to be created. So along with love please be strict with the children. Teach how hard we work to earn money, to respect others, and discipline. If you teach all this, these type of crimes will be reduced in the next generation. The most sad thing in this is, even after going to jail he didn’t change one percent. He didn’t feel guilty of his mistake.
“I didn’t make any mistake. This is all a drama made by the police.” Daswanth said in an interview. If you see the interview of him in the jail means, you might feel like slapping him by seeing his attitude.
My dear readers. What do you think about this story? Comment your opinions down without forgetting. Share this story with your family and friends whom you care.
