The Inner Man
- Writers Pouch
- Aug 31, 2022
- 6 min read
30th July 2008
Dr Subhash walked briskly into the lobby of Pune Police headquarters, clutching his aluminium briefcase. The chaotic scene inside the Crime Investigation Department chamber caught his attention. Officers were preparing for battle, checking files, and communicating via radios. Ankitha noticed him and approached. With an intense look, she greeted him with a brisk handshake.
“Hello, Mr. Subhash,” she said. However, before she could continue, Subhash interrupted, annoyed by the reception he had received. Accustomed to being summoned by high-ranking officials, the middle-aged man retorted, “Ms Ankitha, where is Detective Govind? I usually deal with him.”
“I apologise, sir. If you could follow me, I could explain,” Ankitha replied.
Curiosity and agitation compelled Subhash to follow. In the conference room, Ankitha explained, “Nearly for a week now, there was a case filed that stated that Mr Dharvesh Sahay had been missing. His brother-in-law, Mr Anisha, your blood spatter expert, is also missing. Therefore, Govind asked for your presence here.”
While Subhash wondered how he could be of help, Govind finally arrived. He brought three cups of tea and biscuits with him, and He also got the aroma of ashes and burnt wood. It felt like he had come out of a fire. His hands were covered with coal, and his shirt was burnt in some places. With a smile, he picked up a teacup and looked keenly around the room before stating, “Presuming Ankitha briefed you, I wish to update both of you that Mr Sahay’s body was found a couple of hours ago in the outskirts of the city, middle of nowhere in a hut half burned. A cab driver was kind enough to report a huge cloud of fumes to the fire department.”
