The Hidden Mystery

“Childhood is the best time of life, isn’t it” said Officer Marc D’Souza, the Chief Superintendent of Goa Police. He was the in charge of ‘Mangal Mehra Murder case’, and was constantly looking at a picture in his hand, a picture of a ten year old boy playing in water with his elder brother and a friend.

“And deprivation of father’s shade at this tender age is so unfortunate. God bless the family” his junior said.

“Maybe the situation is something else” the officer said suspiciously.

‘Mangal Mehra Murder case’ was the new talk of the town. Television, newspaper, and magazines everything was flooded with the same. It happened on the Christmas Eve, when the whole town was in the mood of celebration. A forty years old man was reported dead by his family, who claimed that they, the wife Savita (38 years) and the two sons, Akshay (10 years) and Aakash (10 years), were out to celebrate the festival, when they came home they found that Mangal was sleeping on the couch. They assumed that maybe he is drunk like other days and is just sleeping, after the kids sleep the wife tried to wake her husband. To her utter astonishment she found that the man was dead. She immediately called the police.

“He was a loving father and a dear husband. I can’t imagine my life without him” said his wife crying badly.

At first, the case appeared very simple. The man was out celebrating with his friends, he is a highly addicted drinker, and he may have had some really high shots and died when he reached home. There were no marks of violence on the victim’s body. Nor did any case of any fight was reported on that day.

But the assumptions were stated wrong when postmortem reports revealed that no alcohol or drug was taken by man the entire day. Doctors found poison in his blood. This bought the case to a new mystery, it was a clear case of murder and Officer D’Souza was appointed to handle the case.

“We should talk to the family, they must know everything about him” the junior suggested. But the S.P. had something else in his mind.

“The lady will not let us meet the kids, and we can’t even force her to do so. As far as her statements are concerned, she had said all she could” he remarked.

The officer first encountered the neighborhood,

“Oh! He was a great man, so hardworking. I never saw him indulging into any fight, nor did he have any enemy or connections with the criminals” said a lady living next door of the Mehras.

After gathering information from neighbors, Officer D’Souza was pretty sure that the man was not killed by any stranger or an outside person.

“Maybe there is something that the family is hiding from us” he claimed.

“Hello Officer!” He heard the voice of a lady behind him.  It was Mrs. Mehra; she had a large black bag of garbage in her hand,

“Hello Mrs. Mehra, I hope you and your family is fine” the officer said warmly.

“What are you doing here?” She asked,

“Just gathering some information about the case” he replied.

“There is nothing like that officer. You people have made a joke of my husband’s death. This is so hurtful. Why don’t you understand? He attempted suicide, that’s it. He used to sound depressed now-a-days. Please stop disturbing our neighbors. ” She said crying.

 The junior took out his pen and pad and started writing what the lady was saying, but the officer gestured with his eyes for him to stop.

“He was constantly worried about his low income, and how are we going to provide everything to our kids. We have pending loans as well. He couldn’t take it all and killed himself” the lady added. The officer had no interest in whatever she said; he knew it was made up story.

“I am so sorry Mrs. Mehra. We can understand what you are going through. If you say so we will end up the investigation. I promise” he said, assurance in his voice. The lady stopped crying now.

“I also have a family and they always complain that I don’t make time for them. Now that the case is over I can spend some time with them also” he added. Mrs. Mehra was feeling relaxed now.

“Can you tell me how did you take your kids on the Christmas night?” his sudden question was unexpected by the lady.

“EH-What?” she uttered,

“Yea, I too want to take my kids somewhere. That’s why asking. Where did you take your kids?” he asked again.

“To the beach”

“Which beach?”

“Santa Maria”

“Oh, if you don’t mind can I ask you a question. Don’t you think beach is a little dangerous place for kids at night? “He asked smirking.

“We just stayed there for half an hour. Then we went for shopping” she said.

“Great! Where?”

“The Apollo shopping complex”

“So did you bring something for the kids?”

“NO”

“Why?”

“Everything…was so expensive. Then we went for dinner to the Mount Restaurant. Now if you are done, can I please leave? ” she said completely exhausted and irritated with the questionnaire.

“Sure, sorry to disturb you man” the officer said and quickly sat in his jeep. He started the jeep but stopped at some distance so that the lady couldn’t see him, but he could see her. He saw that the lady took big garbage bag and emptied it on a pile of garbage nearby. He saw that there pieces of crockery, vases and other breakable glass and ceramic items in the bag. It seems that a lot of things have been broken in the house. But he was there in the area for a long time, he didn’t see anyone coming and going out of the Mehra house. Then who could possibly have broken the things. He thought.

Later he knew where he has to go, he went to all the places that the lady told him and one more place, after three days he was clear about case, and knew who killed Mr. Mehra.

He ordered Mehras, their neighbors, his own higher officers and some media persons to unfold the mystery behind the much hyped “Mangal Mehra Murder case”; After all it was a huge achievement for him.

When everyone gathered in the hall, Officer Marc D’Souza cleared his throat and with extreme grin on his face he said

”You are the culprit” pointing towards the fifteen year old Akshay Mehra.

His statement bought shocked to many people and noises of hush-shush filled the room. “What the hell are you saying officer. He is a kid, he loved his father. He didn’t do anything. Do you even have a proof?” Akshay’s mother argued there was no chance that she could let her child fall into such trouble.

“Well I do have proofs ma’am.” He said taking a large orange envelope from his junior,

“Sir,” he said looking towards his senior. “My first witness is Dr. Swarnamurthy”. The mere mention of the name brings Goosebumps to Mrs. Mehra. On officer’s order a lady dressed in Kanjivaram saree entered the room.

“She is doctor Mukula Swarnamurthy. She is a psychologist. She has been handling the case of Akshay Mehra for two years. Ma’am, can you tell us about Akshay Mehra?”

 “Yes sure. Akshay and his mother are connected to me for two years. Akshay is suffering from multiple personality disorder. He is at stage two. Sometimes the things that bring anger to him, cause transition in him from a small teenage boy to a well versed criminal. He could do anything in this transition state, and would not remember after he is back to normal. It’s difficult for normal people to understand.” The lady said.

Mrs. Mehra’s face turned pale.

“We understood ma’am. Thank you so much” he said and the lady left the room.

“When I was inspecting your neighborhood Mrs. Mehra, I saw you throwing the garbage bag, from where I found the number of the counselor. Besides this the broken stuff you threw shows that someone was recklessly throwing things in your house, maybe out of anger. I guess it was Akshay right?” he said smirking.

“So what, my son is suffering from a disorder that proves nothing” Mrs. Mehra said.

“Let my next evidence prove it then. The talked to Mr. Mehra’s clients and got to know that he was having an extra marital affair. I also went to the places you suggested me, remember that day. No one like you appeared to the Mount restaurant that night. Now will you please let the boy speak the rest of the story?” The officer pressed.

Before the mother could say something her son spoke, “Yes I killed my father. I found out about his affair with an office colleague, when I told mom about this, she said she already knew. But there is nothing she could do. I couldn’t saw my mother helpless, I don’t know what came over me and when my father asked for tea, I added rat poison to it. But I did it for my mother.” He said his voice breaking.

 Mrs. Mehra could see that unfortunate night again in front of her eyes. She saw her son feeding the poisoned tea to her husband. But her voice was sealed. She couldn’t spoke anything. For days she had killed that man in her dreams many times, but something like this will ever happen, she didn’t know.

“I am afraid that doesn’t justify your crime little buddy. According to law you will stay in child rehab center, I will see that you get constant sessions with the psychologist and get well soon” the senior officer said.

Akshay was sent to rehab for five years, and his mother to jail for attempt to hide a crime for two years. His younger brother stayed at the boarding school.

After three years, when Akshay turned eighteen, the newspapers were flooded with two crime cases.

First, the child that killed his father and was sentenced to rehab for five years has escaped. His doctors claimed that his disorder has not been completely treated yet.

Second, Chief Superintendent of Goa Police, Mr.Marc D’Souza has been reported dead at the Marine beach, investigations shows that this might be a case of murder.