The Case of the Missing Dog

A few years ago I was reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's, The Hounds of Baskervilles. Rarely did I imagine that I would be part of a similar type of an incident near us.

My friend Aroop had just returned from his short service commission finishing his assignment in the Armed forces with the rank of Major. He got inducted immediately with a renowned bank as Head of it's internal security.

Aroop had some time on his hand before he joined this new assignment. One day Aroop, myself and few of our other friends were sitting idly in a tea stall discussing our Durga Puja celebrations which was a few days away. Then Jiten, another friend of ours alarmed us all with a weird tale.

A frightening tale was doing the rounds about a dog playing havoc with people in a mansion just on the outskirts of the town. The house outside the town was a big mansion with a lot of vacant land surrounding it. The name of the estate was Bhaskar Villa after the name of the erstwhile owner who had died intestate leaving behind three possible heirs. His own brother and two sons. The erstwhile owner Bhaskar Ghosh had bought this monumental estate from a retired army man of the Royal British Indian army. After staying some of his retired life here in India this English gentleman decided to return to his native England after the death of his wife.

Mr. Bhaskar Ghosh was this Britisher 's junior in his battalion. This person was an amiable retired army man when he had bought the mansion. But later on when he lost his wife due to cancer, he became depressed. To do away with his despondency he took to keeping a pet dog. The pet dog was a fierce bull terrier. The purpose of keeping the dog was to be a companion in his loneliness and to guard the mansion from many trespassers.

But as age picked up this retired man became more senile and didn't trust anyone.

His brother Biman was a veterinary doctor who served the double purpose of taking care of the dog when the need arose and to take care of his elder brother's physical and financial needs. He was unmarried. Army man Bhaskar 's elder son had joined the army like his father and was posted in a distant town far away. His younger son was a budding singer trying his fortune in the entertainment world. This was the cause of all troubles.

The senior Ghosh was not happy with his younger son's choice of profession. So he wanted this son out of his heir ship till he sacrificed this profession. But his son Atanu was adamant.

There was report that a silver coloured dog was frightening and possibly harassing the townspeople. Also it was suspected that Bhaskar Ghosh had died an unnatural death a few days ago. His body had been cremated hurriedly in mysterious circumstances.

My friend Jiten was himself a vet and a colleague of Dr Biman in the govt vet hospital.

Jiten told us ' My senior colleague Dr Biman was discussing with me if I could assist him in any way to help solve this mystery of the missing dog. Major Bhaskar' s dog is missing since his master's death,'Jiten concluded in a serious note. Jiten asked Aroop to use his army experience to help trace the dog.

' Looks, like we have a curious case on our hands, 'Aroop said.' 'It's an honour to follow the great Sherlock Holmes and I need a Dr. Watson, will you be a Watson, Avik?' asked Aroop looking at me.

I formed a team with Aroop and Jiten took us to the Bhaskar villa. There Dr. Biman was awaiting us.

Biman himself was a no nonsense type of person. He said that his elder brother was perturbed with the inheritance issue relating the mansion on one hand and his annoyance of his younger son's singing profession. Add to this the death of his wife after a protracted illness, cancer.

Aroop examined the rooms where Major Bhaskar used to visit in the mansion. The house was truly big almost like a palace with many rooms. But most of the rooms were not in use. The occupants were Dr. Biman and the younger son of Major Bhaskar, Atanu and one servant and one cook. One maid used to visit in the morning for cleaning purposes.

Major Bhaskar had a big study beside a bedroom. Aroop looked into the bedroom for sometime and then moved on to the study. I just accompanied him to give support if needed. Jiten had left to go to his hospital.

Dr. Biman stayed back so that Aroop could do his investigative work. Aroop talked to the two servants separately. Aroop studied the belongings of the dog, his little bed and his kennel. He asked Dr Biman if Major Bhaskar discussed anything about his will. Dr. Biman said that his brother was confused about how and whom to share his property with. Some lawyers had been called also but there was no fruitful result.

'Recently, some real estate developers had visited my brother hoping to get a pie of the business in the land development but my brother' s opinion was a strict NO, 'said Biman.

' Did, Major Bhaskar had the habit of writing a diary?, 'asked Aroop intelligently.' I'm not aware of it, ' said Dr. Biman.' I used to talk to him only if it was very necessary. Mostly he talked to his servants Hari and Raghu, ' concluded Dr. Biman.

As Hari used to look after t

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he day to day affairs of Major Bhaskar, so Aroop asked him more about his master. Hari said that he was not aware of any diary but his master was in the habit of writing.

Aroop searched the bookshelf but did not find anything substantial that could help him. The servants were questioned about the dog and they said that he was last seen till his master's body was sent for cremation. After that he was nowhere to be seen.

The next two days Aroop and myself toured the whole estate and did a thorough combing operation but we could not make any headway of the dog.

But some neighbours have pointed out that the dog had been behaving mysteriously for few days before his master had expired.

Further enquiry revealed that two villagers were chased by the dog separately.

Did the dog had been infected with rabies? Aroop was guessing.

He put this question to Dr. Biman but he did not have any clear answer.

'Did Major Bhaskar have a mysterious death?,' questioned Aroop. 'My brother had a fearful stare in his eyes and his mouth was foaming,' replied Dr. Biman.

Aroop further put a question, 'Was autopsy done on his body?'. 'We didn't feel it necessary,' stated Dr Biman blandly.

For two days Aroop searched and ravelled through Major Bhaskar 's study. We did find a diary but it was mostly empty.

Then after two days of futile effort, Aroop called it off saying that he couldn't make any headway.

Then one day Atanu, the younger son of the Major called on Aroop. He said something startling. Earlier Aroop did not get any chance to speak to him as he was away on his concert in some other town.

Atanu had a major difference with his uncle Dr. Biman. According to him there was a major hurdle regarding inheritance as his uncle was a major obstacle. Atanu said his elder brother Rajat had removed himself from this inheritance issue as he did not see eye to eye with his uncle.

So it now was coming out that Dr. Biman was a character with suspicious behaviour. Atanu feared that probably their dog had been infected with rabies. According to him his father may have been bit by their dog and due to this he may have also been affected by this disease. 'At the time of death he was foaming at the mouth but uncle did not do any further investigation and hurriedly sent the body for cremation,' said Atanu with disgust.

All this information put Aroop in a quandary. How to trace the dog and how to link it to the shady behaviour of Dr. Biman.

Aroop and myself were confirmed of our worries. Dr. Biman had got the wind of Atanu seeing us and probably making some complaints against him.

'Major Aroop,' said Dr. Biman over telephone. 'No need to go ahead further with the case of the dog. Probably it's dead,' came his voice on the phone. The line was cut abruptly by Dr. Biman. 

Aroop knew that now he was on his own if he wanted to find a way ahead in this case. 

'Avik, come let's visit the neighbours of Major Bhaskar Ghosh.' Aroop told me one morning. 

He first took me to the Police station and there he lodged police complain against a probable murder of Major Bhaskar. 

Then he visited the neighborhood of Bhaskar villa. There a small boy came forward towards Aroop and led him to one lonely corner of the estate of Bhaskar Villa. He pointed his finger to a little mound above the ground. 

Further examination of the mound it was revealed that the mound was fresh and newly set up. The mud quality revealed that it was freshly laid. Aroop asked Jiten to come immediately with a labourer with a spade. 

Upon digging we found the dead body of a dog. Jiten said that post mortem could reveal something. But he said that the post mortem had to be done secretively otherwise Dr. Biman would obstruct. 

Jiten immediately called a municipal carcass van and immediately the carcass of the dog was shifted stealthily to a different animal hospital. 

The report in hand Jiten came to meet us two days later. As per the report the dog had been injected with a rabies virus. The report was handed over to the Police. So Atanu 's fear that the dog might have been rabies infected was true. 

The Police procured a search warrant against Dr. Biman. The Police went ahead with the search with Aroop and myself accompanying them. Dr. Biman first protested saying that he needed to talk to his advocate. But the Police ignored his calls and searched his belongings. The Police found some legal documents and among this a Notarised Will was found. It was immediately seized to be produced in the court. 

Later in the court it was revealed that Major Bhaskar had in his Will had equally distributed his property amongst his three heirs, his two sons and his brother. The court ordered that the mandate of the will to be executed at the earliest. 

Dr. Biman was however exonerated by the court for lack of evidence. 

But the death of Major Bhaskar though in mysterious circumstances and his last rites hurriedly performed would always be given the benefit of doubt in favour of his brother Dr. Biman Ghosh.