THE RITUAL.

This is my entry for the IFW, Exercise for Edition - 5.
The plot was given by Mr. Arvind Passey.
You can ready my entry here.

It is Ashtami again. The day he eagerly waits for, the day of the pooja, the day the Goddess speaks to him, the day he has to offer a ‘bali’ to her. He always appeases his Amma…the omnipresent one. It is time to get Bhairavi ready for the big night.

He personally chooses her saree, a light saffron georgette saree with a dark green border…matching blouse, bangles, anklets, the red bindi that will adorn her forehead and the jumkas for the ears. Perfect. Bhairavi always looks divine in a saree…the soft fabric draping her body accentuating her curves. Her long plait adorned with jasmine flowers, swaying gently on her hips as she walks…. was enough to make any man go weak in his knees.

First, the ritualistic bath. Bhairavi would first apply a paste of sandalwood and turmeric all over her body. Every Ashtami he himself would make the sandalwood paste by rubbing the sandal wood piece against the flat stone grind. He would then mix the paste with freshly ground turmeric powder. Bhairavi, will then bathe with milk and rose water. Then, draping herself in a white wet saree, she will then perform the pooja to Amma. The smell of incense, camphor and fresh flowers would fill the house. Conch shells would be blown and Aarti performed to end the pooja. By 11 pm she will be out on the streets in search the ‘bali.’


                                        ***************

 Byra made his way towards the dilapidated building, which was once a garment factory. It is his treasure trove with all the abandoned machinery, furniture and fixtures, which he regularly steals and sells. This building also serves as a haven for his thrysts with ladies.

He makes his way to the rear of the building. There’s a broken window through which he has the access to get inside. He then feels the urgent need to relieve himself. He walks to the farthest corner of the compound where there are a cluster of trees and wild shrubs. There are debris strewn around and the vacant space is filthy. He sees some hawks circling above the trees. He can hear the dogs’ whining. Byra collects a stone and throws it in the direction of the trees. The dogs bark and scatter. He collects some more stones and chases off the dogs. He walks towards the trees, pulls down his pants and squats on the ground. He casually looks up as he hears a hawk swoop down. He falls back on his bare ass with a muted shriek. And, then yells in pain as small stones pricks his bare bottom. He wets himself, rolls to one side and vomits. The waves of nausea grip him. He is sweating profusely. He gathers his wit, stands up, pulls up his pants and runs for his life. He runs towards his chawl in search of a telephone booth. He locates one and calls up the police.

                                     ***************

 Inspector Chengappa leaned to one side on his seat and farted loudly. Head Constable Anjaneya stifled a laugh and disguised it as a coughing fit. Chengappa pretended not to notice. He was busy playing Angry Birds on his mobile.

Chengappa held the record for solving the most number of murder cases in the South Bangalore Circle. He had served 28 years in the police force and had more enemies within the force than outside it. It was his ‘kickass’ attitude that rubbed people the wrong way. He often ‘ forgot to follow orders’ or did not care to follow the rules. He had lost count the number of times he had been transferred. And, this was also the reason he never made past the rank of an Inspector.  He did not care anyway as he was few years short of retiring from the force. In spite, he still was respected for the natural instinct he had in solving cases.

Chengappa’s deputy Krishna enters his room and places a file in front of him. “Sir, the post mortem report.”

Chengappa rolls his eyes and quits the game. He studies the file. “The cause of death was asphyxiation by strangulation. A thin metal wire cut his right carotid artery cutting of blood supply to his brain…claw marks on the neck, indicating struggle by the victim. Semen sample…. he had sex before his death? That explains his nakedness when we found him. Krishna, has anyone come forward to claim his body?”

“No Sir, Raman was from Hassan and he was living alone in the chawl near the building where he was found. In fact, men of the chawl use that building for the purpose of their clandestine affairs because it is secluded and is not manned by a watchman. As you know, he had a tea and dinner stall, which he closed late in the night. Every one knew him formally. No one knew him personally nor does any one have his Hassan address. Nothing about his personal life is known.”

“The eye witness account? What was his name?” asks Chengappa.

“Byra. He said he had gone to that building around 1.30 – 2 am with the intent of stealing. He saw a jeep parked there. He turned back only to come back the next morning. It was red jeep. He could not make out the number plate in the dark. Sir, the forensic report says that a strand of hair about 10 inches long was found on the victim’s body. It has been sent for DNA analysis. The report will be available in 2 days.” says Krishna.

“How can we explain the way the body was found dangling from the tree, if the victim was with a female? She sure must have had a male accomplice. It takes a lot of strength to strangle a man, especially by a woman and hang it on the tree like the way it was. There should be at least two people involved. No leads other than this? Sure, is frustrating. Round up all the sex workers working in and around that chawl. Let us interview them,” says Chengappa.

                                     ***************

“Sir, the DNA report.” Krishna places the file in front of Chengappa. “By the way; the Hassan police traced Raman’s family Sir. His parents will come today to identify the body,” replies Krishna.

                                      ***************

One more week passes and there is no breakthrough in the case. Chengappa hates to close a case. He chides himself for any probability of overlooking some important facts or evidence he might have missed. He is pouring thorough the files when the phone rings. He answers it.

“Krishna, take out the jeep. There has been a homicide.”

Inside the jeep, he tells Krishna where to go. They exchange glances. The body has been found on a deserted road near the very building where Raman’s body was found 15 days before.

Upon reaching the place the first thing Chengappa notices the way the man is murdered. There is a stark resemblance the way the throat of the victim has been slit. This man is naked too.  While they had not been able to trace Raman’s clothes, they found clothes of this victim a few feet from where the body was dumped. They also found some tyre tracks. The same tyre tracks led to and from the abandoned garment factory.

“Krishna, find out who owns the factory? And, I know what they will find during the postmortem,” says Chengappa.
                                                                                                                                                                    
                            ***************

He sits brooding at home. “Amma is angry with me. She is not talking to me. Bhairavi must have done something wrong. I will atone her mistakes. I will get Bhairavi ready, just can’t sit around and wait for Ashtami.”
    
                         ***************

“The victim was Manjunath. He was 28 years old. He was not from this area. He was working at a Call Centre at Brigade Towers. He shared a room with his colleague in Jayanagar. Sir, he too had sex before being murdered. It is apparent that he was murdered elsewhere and was dumped here. Some jasmine flowers were found in his clothing. Nothing else. Seems like the victims are coupling with a ghost!” exclaimed Krishna.

 Later, at the police station, Krishna is reporting to Chengappa. “Sir, the factory was bought by Mallikarjuna Gowda just two months back. He might have as well got it for free as it was under litigation. He is from Kamakshipura but shifted to Banaswadi last month. He is the right hand man of Vittal Kamat, the MP. He has a legitimate real estate business to cover all his illegitimate land grabbing activities. He has a toddy business; he is an extortionist and has connections with the underworld. He had a couple of cases filed against him for extortion and land grabbing…all the cases were closed for the lack of evidence. He is a powerful guy no doubt there. He is unmarried. Lives in a sprawling bungalow. Has a driver cum bodyguard cum assistant who resembles a Sumo wrestler. There’s a lady, a caretaker, living with him in his bungalow.”

“Hmmm…details of his driver?” asks Chengappa.

“His name is Rudra. He has been with Mallikarjuna for years and is a loyal dog… unmarried, no family. Staying with his master. He has gone to jail once for fatally beating up a person. He was out of the jail within days. Case in now buried deep.”

“Dig deeper Krishna. The media is having a field day.  We may have a serial killer here,” says Chengappa.

                                    **************                                          

Bhairavi sees him before he sees her. He is standing at the bus stop waiting for the bus. He is tall and fair. He is well dressed. She stands a few yards away from him and starts humming a song. He does not even look at her. “Errr…. excuse me,” Bhairavi addresses the man.

He turns and sees her. “Has the Cantonment bus left?” she asks him.

“I don’t know. I have not been here for long,” he replies. She sighs heavily…heaving her bosom, making sure he sees that. He is a bit shy but he sure sneaks glances at her. She smiles shyly. His gaze rests a bit too longer on her curves and her soft lips. “It is quiet late. Can I drop you at Cant? I am going that way.” he asks her.

She smiles demurely. ‘All men are the same! Just the right moves and they fall hook line and sinker. I am going to have a good time. He will get a ride of his life,’ Bhairavi thinks. Aloud, “Is it fine? Hope I am not imposing,” she says.

“No, no. Please don’t think that way. You are alone and it is quiet late in the night. It is not safe for you to stand here alone. Actually, I am headed towards Malleshwaram. I will drop you first and then go. I would not mind the detour as long as I have you for my company. Hope it is fine?” he asks her.

She beams at him.
           
                                       *************               

DCP Ramachandra, ACP Suresh, Inspector Chengappa and Krishna are all seated on the podium addressing the Press Conference. It is Chengappa’s show all the way. The DCP and ACP are just the showpieces that are with him to show their solidarity.

Inspector Chengappa takes over -

“We made a couple of arrests late last night. Mallikarjuna Gowda and his driver Rudra have been arrested in connection with the recent murders that rocked and shocked the city over the past month.

Gowda, committed the murders in the guise of a woman. He called himself Bhairavi. And, believe me, he looked every bit of the part. I could have fallen for her myself.” Chengappa jokes with a straight face.

“Rudra was his accomplice. When we started checking the background of Gowda, we realized that there had been similar murders in the past in and around Kamakshipura, Vijayapura, Siddalghatta… the places where Gowda resided before. There was a pattern too to the murders. They were committed on the day of Ashtami.  Why? I will explain later. Gowda changed his residence every few years so as to not leave a trial.

Our forensic team found a woman’s hair on the body of the first victim, Raman. The DNA analysis said that it was a wig, which was synthetically made, customized in fact. That gave us a clue that the killer might be a transvestite or a eunuch. And, the killer seemed territorial. The abandoned factory held the clue.

We had Gowda’s house under surveillance. And thanks to Krishna, my trusted Deputy who posed as a probable victim, we were able to make the arrests.

The modus operandi behind these murders is that Gowda is mentally unstable. He is psychotic. Gowda lost his mother quiet early in his childhood. His father was the watchman in the garment factory that is now owned by Gowda himself. On weekends he would accompany his father to the factory. There his father, a fact that he did not reveal or confide with anyone, was sexually harassing him. It was a lady who was working at the factory who realized what was happening and adopted him much against the wishes of his father. There he saw her performing pooja to Goddess Durga, got influenced by the rituals she performed. He says he started hearing to the divine words of the Goddess.  The first command he received from ‘Amma’…his goddess was to offer his dad as ‘bali’ to her, so she would be pleased with him. We really do not know how many men he has killed as he started quiet young.  Any questions?
                               *****************

Ashtami - Eight day of Hindu Lunar calender
 Bali - Sacrifice.
Bindi - Traditionally a bright red colored dot adorning the forehead by woman in many parts of South East Asia.
  ...a picture of Jumkas.
Amma - Mother.
Durga - meaning the inaccessible or the invincible; a popular fierce form of Hindu Goddess.