My first brush with murder mysteries must have been Agatha Christie novels. Enid Blyton had mysteries dealing with small thefts & the five find outers or the famous five solved them.Normally nobody got killed. With intrigue,mystery & thefts, came murder. The marathi magazine ‘Dakshata’ had the stories in details. The emphasis more on how was it planned & how the police solved it. I remember Shambhu more interested than any of us. My father an ardent reader of ‘Kala Pahad’ I have never seen him reading.
In the month of June in 1995, some people entered the house in front of us. At night everyone had their coolers or AC on & there was no noise. Both of us were watching “Ashi hi banwa banwi” on TV. It was around 12 that we must have retired. Sometime in the wee hours, lights came on in the opposite house & people gathered. I couldn’t leave as Durga was sleeping & the discussion wasn’t something very encouraging.
It was thursday. So the day before was Wednesday,payday. Three people had entered in through a window open near the terrace. In the hall was a safe ( why in the hall?) which they opened. The noise made both of them to come down. Kaka was very brave,he tried to resist. The third one came & stabbed him. The daughter was also stabbed in her side. As she collapsed, Kaka came down with a stroke.The trio ran away. They had knifes & chilli powder with them.
They were taken to the hospital where Kaka succumbed to his injuries. Their daughter had to stay in the hospital for months. Her lung was ruptured, being young she recovered. Kaku was unhurt. Their daughter in law was sleeping & got up, by then everything was over. Son was in Mumbai & safe. The turn of events brought in a change in our routine. I feared opening any door in my house. My weight must have decreased by ten kg. No one had appetite for days. Rickshaws were unavailable, they refused to come after nightfall. Around 8 there would be not a soul on the colony street.
Efficient police officer like Makarand Ranade could not solve the case. Kaku got tired of being called for identification & closed the case. Roopa completed her education & settled abroad. Rahul also settled out of India. Kaku left for Mumbai. They sold the house. What did the wicked people gain? When we abhor such actions it is because it must have been in their minds for days. How can they think of hurting a person like them? What is a packet of notes ? Does such an act justify any injustice done? Let’s assume they thought they were paid less,can’t it be resolved by negotiation?
The job they had is gone & the money gain by unfair means, can it suffice for a lifetime?A person can sleep at night because he has worked hard,worked for his family without resorting to any unfair means. ‘Sukhi mansacha sadra’ this person is at peace because he is in the right. he knows he has never harmed anyone. He know he can die & still have his good deeds left over. People may or may not remember but in your heart you know you have been right!
It remained a unsolved case. Why did they have to kill? There are so many unanswered questions yet. With time all the wounds get healed, but the trauma caused ? It has no healing. The loss is forever.
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