S.S Malhotra, Sub-Inspector, Puraani Hawelli Thana was filling FIR register in dim candle light. He had cluttered complains in a page and was transferring those in the FIR register which had been found worth after initial ‘unofficial’ investigation. It was a single room police station with two tables, some chairs, an almirah that contained record books, some many years old, and an old watch hanging from the wall. S.S Malhotra flashed the torch light on watch and its wings were closer. It was 8:30:00 PM. His night shift had just started and there were hours left. He wished they went well.
Last some weeks of Malhotra’s night shift were explosive. A series of killings were
recorded and since all victim’s chains and valuables were missing, it was assumed that they were cases of ‘theft and killing’. Police didn’t have any clue about the serial killer even after 3 months of intermittent killings. This incident caught people’s attention and was famously referred as ‘Serial Chain Killing’. A wave of fear and anxiety was flowing through the spines of citizen, especially women of the area. Malhotra got night shift every alternate week along with an assistant. There were 2 sub-inspectors and 2 hawaldars who swapped their shifts, morning and night, every week to run the station. Unfortunately all the incidents of ‘Serial Chain Killing’ had occurred in Malhotra’s shift and today expectedly he was extra cautious.
He reviewed all the comments on the sheet for complaints made in the day by SI of the morning shift and made official entry in FIR register only those complains which were serious and could not be solved by small intervention from police, senior members of the society or also 1-2 shots of police danda. He completed this job by 10PM. There was no electricity and it too humid inside.
This small town had seen some development off late, all due to new young and energetic MP from this area. He has succeeded in getting some small scale industries established around this town. Locals were getting employed and the all women textile industry had caught the attention of media. It was started by an NGO, lead by women and employed only women starting from guards to top management. It had got very popular and orders were pouring like uninvited guests. To fulfill the orders on time and keep the commitment, company started night shifts and most of the victims of ‘Serial Chain Killing’ were night shift employees of this all women textile company.
Malhotra put the record book in almirah and pushed the chair back, moved his legs up on the desk and went for rest. He had been quite generous these days. He didn’t mind consecutive weeks of night shifts, even manning the station single handedly on many nights. His companion, constable Ramesh, had got married some months ago and Malhotra was quite generous to leave him mid shift every week to go back home. Also Malhotra’s wife was pregnant and was living with her parents, so he was all alone and it didn’t matter which shift he was doing, till this ‘Serial Chain Killing’ appeared.
Senior officers had visited the area and instructed Malhotra and others to remain extra vigilant. Lady employees of textile firm were instructed not to venture out alone in evening and night. Police holed up some local history sheeters but none accepted the crime. Some chains captured from these men matched the missing ones from the victims. Police saw this as success and was trying to close the case putting the blame on these men. But Police knew it well that murder charge would not stand in court, there was no proof to prove that these small time chain snatchers could kill someone.
Ramesh brought food for Malhotra and waked him up, “Sir, Have your dinner”. Malhotra was having his dinner when he remarked,” Ramesh….Go home buddy! I am enough here. I will call for you if something comes up. Anyway your home is 1-10 mins walk from here.”
Ramesh left, Malhotra finished his dinner and went back to sleep again. Silence of night, with musings of cockroaches all around, was broken into pieces by the thunderous roaring of police station phone. Malhotra shot up from his chair, brought himself together and picked the phone. ‘Hello! Puraani Haweli Thana’ said he. ‘Hello Sir! I am Sangita, an employee of ‘Akhil Mahila Suti Udyog’. I have been returning from office, when two miscreants intercepted me and pulled triggered on me. They snatched my purse, chain and all other ornaments. They left my cell only because they could not find it; it was in my back pocket. I am very scared sir...pls help me...help me please” cried the voice of lady on phone. Malhotra said,”Sangita, Don’t worry. I will pick you and catch the culprits. Let me where are you currently”
She replied,” I am near R.M Road. Nobody is here. Save me...help me sir”
He said,” Sangita! Control yourself. Don’t get into the eyes of any stranger. We can’t allow ‘Serial Chain Killer’ to strike. Can you the see khandahar( an old house) on R.M Road?”
‘Yes Sir’ replied she.
He assured, ” Good. Go to that khandahar and wait till I am there in police van. Don’t make any noise and switch of you cell. I don’t want ringtone or light of your cell to alarm anyone. ‘Serial Chain Killer’ could be anybody. Have you called someone other than police?
“Yes Sir, My father” said Sangita and moved towards the khandahar.
Malhotra took the no. of sangita’s father and put the receiver down. He then called her father and assured him that he was on his way to bring his daughter back home. He pulled out police van and moved towards khandahar on R.M. Road.
He stopped police van at some distance from khandahar, pulled out rod from van on one hand, brought out revolver in other hand and moved slowly towards the khandahar. When he reached there, moved up on the stairs and inside, he whispered, ”Sangita! It’s me! Police! Don’t worry! Come out. I had talked to your father. He is anxiously waiting for you. Let us go home”
Sangita didn’t come out first. But when she found the whisper to be same as the police voice she had talked to on phone. She came close to the whisper and said, “Sir, I am here. Thank you for coming” and she started crying. It was pitch dark and both of them could not see each other. Malhotra tilted the rod on wall and placed his revolved inside the cover hanging on his waist. He said,” It too dark here. Did you call someone after talking to me? “
She said, ” No sir. I had switched off the cell as instructed by you”
He exclaimed,”Good! Give me your hand. I am unable to see you. Let me guide you to police van”
Sangita raised her hand in the direction from where the voice of Malhotra was coming and midway it met with his hands. Her hand was smooth and cold out of fear and on the other side, his was firm and warm.
He came close and said,” why are you so cold, out of fear? Don’t be fearful. I am with you and snatched her in his arms and started kissing. Before she could understand anything, he had embraced her and was kissing her vigorously, slowing moving down the body with his one hand on her mouth. He pushed her on the floor and wrapped his handkerchief on her mouth, grabbed her hands and tied her legs with his. He was completely over her, sucking breast, slowly removing T-shirt, grabbed her bra and pulled it away in single stroke. She lied there helplessly wondering if he was really a policeman, serial chain killer or some third person. She closed her eyes, praying to God, suffering the pain. He continued, caressing her body, playing with her hairs and his mouth sometime finding her tongues and sometime her breast. He kept lying in steady state, his hands exploring her curves till it rested on her butt. He moved his hands around and unbuttoned her jeans, lowered it down and pulled down his zip. He was inside her, stroking it hard. She kept on banging on the wall with each of the stroke. Finally, motionless, he kept hanging on her.
She laid unconscious, tears flowing down eyes and her body spread on the floor. Malhotra collected their cloths, prepared himself and started putting clothes on her. She didn’t react anyway…she was laying their almost dead, maybe wondering if it was worth living anymore or where would she go from here? When she had her clothes on, Malhotra stood up, took the rod which he had kept by wall, and raised it high and shot it off over her head, with full force. Thhhdddddd……it was all over…..she didn’t make noise and whatever life was left in her it left without a noise. He removed the handkerchief from her mouth.
Malhotra dragged her body outside khandahar and left it in the ditch near road. It had all her clothes on and he made sure that she looked normal and itlooked nothing suspicious. When he was sure that everything was ok, he took her phone and called her father.
“Hello..Hello…Sangita…where are you? Why didn’t you reach home till now? Are you safe?” Her father kept on asking, and then Malhotra replied,” Sir, This is ASI Malhotra calling. Your daughter had called me when some miscreants looted her valuables and purse but when I reached here, it was too late. I am sorry…I found her dead body in a ditch on R.M Road. I think it’s the case of ‘Serial Chain Killer’”
There was no reply from other side and her father somehow replied that he was coming to the location of incident. Malhotra then called Ramesh and informed him that ‘Serial Chain Killer’ had stroked again and asked him to come to location of incident.
Next day newspaper said, “Serial Chain Killer strikes again. A lady employee of local Textile Company was looted and then killed. ASI Malhotra informed press that they had prepared a comprehensive plan to catch the ‘Serial Chain Killer’ soon. “Police will not be a mute spectator and soon culprit will be behind bars” he said.
