Written: Kaalan

Chapter 2: Unidentified

                    Two minutes silence for people who thought Sundeep would be protagonist. There is no protagonist and antagonist here, it is only who gets killed and not.

          Relatives who came to marriage are returned to the same apartment for funeral. Crying, screaming filled the apartment air where laughter was filled two days back. Divya was sitting in the corner without realizing the dream of her life…no, life of her was smashed like a potato on the pavement. She was so horrified, and her mind is not ready to take up the fact that Sundeep has been died. She doesn’t have any more tears to shed. Divya ran to her father to shout at him as she did for last fifteen times.

“Are you happy now, this is what you wanted right” Divya kept repeating the same statement for many times, the voice kept raising every time. Her saliva turned sticky in her mouth and gelled between lips and throat became sore. The struggle she has gone through to get marry is for what?  How she is going to go forward without Sundeep? She tasted hell for last few years, and she thought that once for all, troubles are gone and time for heavenly life. Before she tastes the heaven, it was snatched from her. Agony and pain passed like a blood from head to toe and pumped more in the heart every living second.

“You want both of us to be dead, all you needed is the useless pride of your fucking caste, isn’t it? Why you didn’t kill me and set me free” Divya cried out loud.

“Why you are acting like worried” immediately Divya voice faded and she fainted.

Mr. Senthilnathan, strongest man in his native, being local jury for panchayat. Though his caste feeling is sky high, his own daughter life has drastically changed overnight made him stumble and eyes were welled up.  On the other side Mr. Somasundaram, father of Sundeep watching all this in silence. The only hope of his family is demolished in minutes made him silent and thrown him into the deep of spider web, he can circle around and fall back with more webs rolled but he can’t escape it.  

 “Hi, I am Dhana from police department” Dhanasekar introduced himself to Mr. Somasundaram. Somu has just nodded his head.

“I know it’s unbearable shock for you guys but if you can answer me for few questions it would be really great” Dhana requested him and Somu agreed.

Dhana enquired him for few minutes and gathered information, next he preceded with Divya and other important family members.

“Are you guys close friends of Sundeep” Dhana asked them. Everyone nodded their head in unison.

“Can you guys cooperate for short enquiry?” Dhana asked.

“Yes Sure” Pradap replied.

“Anyone missing from close circle” Dhana asked.

“Yes, our friend Raghu, he was out of town, he is on his way” Pradap said.

“Oh, by the way where was he?” Dhana asked.

“He was in Erode, gone for a photo shoot” Pradap answered.

Dhana said to them that we can have an enquiry by tomorrow at any of your comfortable place, you guys give a call. Dhana and Ramesh who is a helping constable allotted for Dhana flew in their bolero.

Sudden death of Sundeep has completely changed the family, friends and surroundings but not Chennai people. One homicide will not grab a public attention because common man life has no respect until it happens in their close circle.  If some cine stars and politicians died in same way then whole state would have murmured about the incident.

 While driving Dhana was being silent and starring at the busy road of vadapalani, “Ramesh, does it look like crime scene” Dhana asked.

“No sir” Ramesh said.

“Dying on very next day of the wedding is horrible Ramesh. Also, they struggled a lot to get married” Dhana worried about their situation and asked Ramesh to stop the vehicle in a tea stall. Dhana ordered a Tea and started to stare the road again. Inside tea stall there is a mini television which flashed a press meet of a police officer from Erode district.

“We are investigating and will update once it is done” Govindan said.

“Govindha” a fat man called out his name and Govi promptly replied “Yes sir”.

“What do we have here” Muthu asked.

Govi took out the small note he had and updated as follows.

The person who died is Komala. Her husband has reported today to the police station that he has found his wife died in the bushes. He was a pimp for her and few other ladies who do business in this highway. Last seen was when he left her with a truck driver nearby Motel who has asked for few hours. I sent our other policeman to investigate in the motel.

“She would have done something that her husband doesn’t like so he would have decided to slit the slut” Muthu said with a grin.

“Sir, it is brutal and unusual, let’s wait for forensic and doctor report before jumping into perspective” Govi said.

Chennai

“Guys wait, don’t jump into conclusions, let’s talk with him” Pradap said to his friends at Chennai.

“What else to think, his calendar was free we know that, how he suddenly got Erode photo shoot. He had secret crush on Divya and I know it. Despite of these, he is a weirdo who can do anything” Bhuvana said.

“So you gonna suspect him for Sundeep murder?” Pradap asked.

“There is a rumor that he had already assaulted few goons” Bhuvana said.

 “I suspect he is creating alibi with Erode stuff and we don’t have any proof that he was in Erode” Bhuvana said.

“We may not have but he may, will wait” Pradap said.

“Guys, I couldn’t believe this is happening” Raghu rushed to friends with his rough face.

“I don’t wanna see him like this” Raghu said and stood there, that is the maximum reaction he can pull off. After few minutes

“They gonna take him to graveyard, we never gonna see him again, please go and see” Pradap insisted with tears.

Evening of June 25, 2008

“Hello Sir, Can we meet near Vadapalani Murugan Temple” Pradap asked to Dhana over phone.

“Yes, Will meet at 7” Dhana said and disconnected.

Dhana had a group of people in his investigation team. As per forensic department they couldn’t find any fingerprints or any other information. Postmortem report had just time of death and wounds, but Watchman case had heavy liquor consumption.

 “Someone forced Sundeep by holding hands but scratches in his wrist are from tar road. May be murderer pushed him down and held his wrist with foot, his knees were damaged, and his head would have been smashed with stone multiple times. But in Watchman case he was dosed up with liquor and he would have fallen hard” Dhana said.

“I see no motive in killing watchman, there was no break in” Durga said.

“Also there was no valuables stolen in both the cases” Ganesh added valuable point.

“Sundeep’s father in law is a suspect from my perspective, only person who got motive to kill Sundeep is Senthil but why he should kill watchman? probably watch man saw Senthil talking to thugs” Ramesh said.

“You’re into too much of movies buddy. Senthil seems like harsh fellow but he has nothing to do with it, he seem so worried but still we will look into that perspective” Dhana said

“Ramesh I am going to meet Sundeep’s friends. From there going to home, can you drop me in Vadapalani” Dhana asked Ramesh.

“Sir, my wife’s birthday today” Ramesh said with the blush.

“You guys?” Dhana turned towards Durga and Ganesh.

“I will come with you” Durga said and both walked towards parking.

 Dhana had a discussion with Sundeep’s friends, they all got alibi and Raghu has said he came in truck till Palipalayam and travelled to Salem in a car then from Salem to Chennai he travelled in SETC.

“Guys, I know it’s hard for all of you. Our main suspect is Mr. Senthil though it’s cinematic, but pattern of both killing is similar, no evidence to trace. Killer doesn’t have a weapon, if Senthil planned it then he wouldn’t even sponsored for weapon is the doubt I have” Dhana said

“Be safe and don’t go out for a week of time” Durga said and both them left.

 “Durga, can we have samosa” Dhana asked with smile. She giggled and agreed.

“Why did you said everything to them Sir” Durga asked.

“We need to know other perspective of crime, as we said Senthil is doubtful suspect, they may come with other perspective and it is just a mind game” Dhana said. ‘To make them talk they need to trust us and how do they trust us if we are not little transparent’.

“By the way, that Pradap guy is kept staring at me Sir” Durga said.

“Oh is it, and the other guy with bit curly hair, what’s his name” Dhana asked.

“I think his name is…” She was trying to remember for few seconds.

“Someone is interested on someone that’s why not bothering about others” Dhana said and smiled.

Durga slightly smiled and pretended like nothing mentioned, both got into bike again. Durga gave a glance to the vadapalani murugan temple and prayed for the victims “Let them rest in peace”.

Erode

“Let her rest in peace” Govi prayed to the Amman. Govi started explaining to Gopal about brutality happened to Komala when they sat down for drinks.

He hasn’t torn her cloths as it was already taken off, instead he torn her apart. He has done anal furiously and bruised her soft layer, though she stopped him doing in private part, but he has forcefully inserted many times and damaged. Her throat has been split with machete, then he was raping her while she was bleeding and kept doing it until she dies. Govi burst into tears and sworn that this son of a bitch is going to die in my hands.