Bihar Diaries Read online

  His mind was a kaleidoscope of questions, all unanswered. He immediately called Sanjay.

  ‘Sanjay, you asshole, you bastard! Whom have you given my number to? You traitor!’

  ‘Bhaiyya, mind your language. I have grown up with you. You know I can lay down my life for you. And you are suspecting me? Of what? At least tell me what has happened,’ Sanjay spoke with absolute conviction. Though he was not a member of Vijay’s gang, Sanjay was extremely loyal to Vijay. He was one of the select few who could argue with Vijay.

  Vijay explained the call in detail to Sanjay, who replied, ‘Vijay Bhaiyya, I have not given your number to anyone. Why would I share it with anyone? I’ll guard your safety with my life.’

  ‘Mujhe maaf kar de, Sanjaywa (Please forgive me, Sanjay). But who could have this new number?’

  ‘Let him call you again. He might be a well-wisher. Who knows, he might help us with the identity of our traitor.’

  ‘Hmm, woh toh theek hai. But how did he get this number? Can we find out who called me?’

  ‘Bhai, hum koi police thodi hai (Bhai, only the police has the power to find out all these things).’

  Vijay kept pacing in the confines of the small house. How times had changed! He used to roam around with his cronies with absolute authority. His swanky SUVs would own the dusty, pothole-filled roads of Nawada and the adjoining areas. Vijay wanted his life back.

  I enjoyed the conversation between Vijay and Sanjay. Vijay tried my number, from which I had made the fake call, a few times, but I deliberately did not answer his call. I derived immense sadistic pleasure in breaking Vijay down bit by bit.

  After the call ended, I looked over at Aish sitting on the floor. She had started crawling all over the house. It was a delight watching her grow in front of me. I had been much busier during Avi’s infancy. I had much bigger districts to handle at the time. Naturally, I could not spend much time at home. In fact, I had not been present by Tanu’s side during the birth of either of my children.

  Since Shekhpura offered me practically no other work apart from chasing the brigand Vijay, I could spend a lot of time at home. In any case, eavesdropping on Vijay’s conversations was more secure and convenient from the privacy of my home. Tanu was quite happy with my presence, even though I was still a very lazy father. I just enjoyed taking pictures of Avi and Aish on my new digital camera. Aish loved to model for me. Her gurgles and squeaks made me happy. I thanked Vijay for making me realize the importance of family, and also that things like postings finally do not matter much.

  That same day, I received a call from M.A. Hussain. ‘Amit, how’s it going?’ he asked.

  ‘Sir, I am confident of getting Vijay soon. My only request is that you please reinstate SI Ranjan when I arrest Vijay.’

  ‘Sure, Amit, you’ve got it,’ he replied in his authoritative voice. This time, there was no hesitation in his voice.

  I called up Ranjan and said, ‘Ranjan, get a good sleep in the afternoon. Tonight is going to be a long one.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ replied Ranjan. It was the first time I was actually letting him sleep.

  Next, I called the Airtel office.

  ‘Could I speak to the GM? I am the SP of Shekhpura.’

  ‘Yes, sir, what can I do for you?’

  ‘We have been listening to the calls of a very dangerous criminal for the past fortnight. You’ve been of immense help to us.’

  ‘It’s our pleasure, sir. We feel humbled,’ replied the GM.

  ‘Thank you. But I need some urgent help from you. I am already observing the number 965498**43 myself. Can one of my colleagues also listen to the calls of that number on his mobile? At the same time?’

  The GM pondered for a moment.

  ‘Yes, sir, it’s possible.’

  ‘Then please do it as soon as possible.’

  The GM of Airtel could sense the earnestness in my voice.

  ‘All I know is that if you help me, we’ll be able to arrest one of the biggest criminals in Bihar,’ I added. There was a pregnant silence at the other end. ‘GM Sahib, you’ll always be proud that you helped us nab Vijay Samrat.’

  ‘Sir, Vijay Samrat, that dreaded ganglord? You have been working on his case?’ exclaimed the GM.

  ‘Yes. Now do you understand how important your help will be to us?’

  I had done my best to strike an emotional chord with the GM.

  ‘Okay, sir.’

  ‘I will text the number of the officer to you,’ I said, barely able to conceal my joy.

  I called Ranjan back, ‘Ranjan, I have put Vijay’s number on parallel listening on your number too.’

  ‘Really, sir?’

  Ranjan sounded a little taken aback. ‘Ranjan, drive along the national highway tonight, close to the houses on the road.’

  ‘Okay, sir,’ Ranjan said, not knowing where this was going.

  ‘When you are about to reach the residential area, start honking in a particular sequence. I’ll call Vijay on his phone at the same time.’ Ranjan could not believe his ears. Had I gone out of my mind? No sane person would even think of this idea.

  ‘I called Vijay yesterday,’ I added.

  Ranjan was absolutely shocked. I couldn’t be serious.

  I told him about my conversation with Vijay the day before. ‘When I call him, you’ll be able to listen to that conversation on your phone. Keep honking your horn in a particular sequence. The moment you are close to his location, you will be able to listen to the honking on the phone as well, after a short lag. Do you understand?’

  Ranjan was totally flummoxed. He thought this was straight out of some Hollywood thriller. I didn’t explain the physics to him, but I knew that at the point that Ranjan could hear the honking on the phone at nearly the same volume as in his car, he would be closest to Vijay’s location.

  38

  ‘Jagah Mil Gayi’

  After an hour, Ranjan reached the houses on the highway.

  ‘Sir, I am ready.’

  Raju and Krishna were also huddled up in the Bolero.

  ‘Okay, Ranjan, I am going to call Vijay in another five minutes. I’ll try to keep him engrossed in my conversation for as long as possible. You keep honking. The moment you hear it on your mobile, slow down. Memorize the exact location and drive away.’

  I explained everything to Ranjan once again.

  I took a deep breath and dialled Vijay’s number. Vijay’s ringtone sounded in my ears. Simultaneously, Ranjan’s mobile started ringing. His screen showed Vijay’s number. Ranjan pressed the green button to initiate the parallel listening.

  Ranjan and I were hundreds of miles apart, yet we could almost feel each other’s breathing.

  I waited for Vijay to answer my call.

  ‘Pick up, pick up the phone, for God’s sake.’

  No institute, not even the glorious National Police Academy, can train any policeman for these situations. Thousands of policeman use all the elements of Chanakya’s treatise––saam, daam, dand, bhed—to solve crimes all over the country. They have to think like criminals; in fact, be one step ahead of criminals. That is the reason agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) are so successful in defending our nation.

  I was going to rely on my confidence, instinct and, of course, luck.

  I was rewarded with the sound of the familiar harsh voice on the other side.

  ‘Halloo, kaun bol rahe ho (Hello, who is this)?’ shouted a baffled Vijay.

  ‘Arre, Vijay Bhai, hum bol rahe hain (Arre, Vijay Bhai, it’s me). Listen, there is a mole in your group.’

  I spoke with remarkable poise. Ranjan later said that hearing his urbane SP Sahib talk to a criminal in the local dialect had made him grin with glee. He had been so impressed by my accent that he had forgotten to honk for a few seconds.

  ‘I can tell you the identity of the traitor.’

  ‘Arre, toh bolo na (Arre, then tell me). Why are you beating around the bu
sh?’ Vijay was clearly irritated now.

  ‘Vijay Bhaiyya, the police are desperately looking for you. A lot of your men have been bought over by the police, particularly Laddua and Gajapati.’

  ‘Laddua, Gajapati? I trusted them so much.’

  Vijay was shocked to hear the names of his most trusted lieutenants.

  ‘Ranjan, why the hell are you not honking the horn?’ I thought.

  I knew I could not continue the conversation for very long. My accent would betray me at some point.

  Suddenly, I heard the blaring of a horn in a sequence so perfect, it was almost musical.

  ‘Bhai, I can’t hear you. There is some very loud sound behind you,’ I said deliberately.

  ‘Yes, some fool is blaring his horn. Idiot!’ shouted Vijay at the top of his voice.

  Ranjan kept honking, still waiting to find the location where Vijay was hiding. At one point, Ranjan knew that he was at the right spot. The honking of the Bolero’s horn and the sound he heard on the phone was almost equally loud. Ranjan heard the honking on the phone an infinitesimal moment after the actual honking. It was the time the radio waves took to transport the digitized sound. All our spoken words are heard a little later by the receiver on their phone. Similarly, all the action we see live on our TV screens actually takes place a little earlier in reality.

  Ranjan looked out and memorized the block of houses on the road. He was so close to his target. Ranjan said he could actually feel that the walls were talking to him, beckoning him. He dismissed the thought and drove away.

  He immediately texted me on my other phone. ‘Sir, jagah mil gayi (Sir, I’ve found the place).’

  I saw the message and smiled.

  ‘Achcha, Vijay Bhai, jaise hi khabar milti hai bataata hoon (Vijay Bhai, I’ll tell you as soon as I have news),’ I said, disconnecting the call abruptly.

  Vijay was absolutely confounded. Who the hell was calling him? And how did the caller have his number? On the other hand, my excitement could hardly be contained. I called Ranjan.

  ‘Ranjan, describe the area to me.’

  ‘Sir, there are some government housing blocks along the road. There are four apartments in each block––two on the ground floor and two on the first floor. The houses are small, the standard size for subordinate staff.’

  ‘Continue,’ I said, all ears.

  ‘Sir, I have memorized the exact location. That stretch must not have more than three blocks, each block about 10–15 feet apart.’

  I visualized the area. It was typical of a government residential locality in any mofussil town.

  ‘Sir, how do we find Vijay? Should I check each and every house?’ asked Ranjan.

  ‘And alert Vijay? Ranjan, we can’t even think of taking any chances. We’ll find a way. Remember Horlicks’s arrest? Be patient.’

  I was so close to Vijay, yet so far. I did not want to strike before an opportune moment in my overzealousness. It can be very frustrating when the criminals escape because of one wrong step. In Vijay’s case, I simply could not afford to make any mistake. It was a matter of life and death, literally. But somehow, I knew I would get some divine help again.

  Ranjan, Raju and Krishna stayed in a small, dilapidated hotel in Maheshpur, Pakur. I deliberately asked them to lie low. Vijay knew Raju and Krishna. After all, they had been brothers in arms earlier. Their loitering around could be disastrous for our mission.

  I bided my time. I had a feeling Shanti Devi would be my angel again. She had been the single biggest reason for Horlicks’s arrest. She would help me again with Vijay.

  ‘Kitne din se baat nahin kiya hai (You have not called me for so many days),’ Shanti complained when she called Vijay the next morning.

  ‘Jaan, I was busy with work,’ replied Vijay sweetly.

  ‘Kaam? Kaun sa kaam (Work? What work)? What work are you doing in hiding?’

  ‘Chup kar, bewakoof aurat (Shut up, you silly woman).’

  Vijay disconnected the call in frustration. He knew that Shanti was right. He felt that even his days in Nawada Jail were better. He was freer inside the jail than he was right now. He was always surrounded by his followers, his cronies. He was treated like a lord even by the jail staff. Here, he was absolutely alone, constantly worried. He felt utterly powerless.

  I listened to the conversation with great attention. I knew I would pick up some clue soon. It was not any titbit in the conversation, but a background sound that caught my attention. There was a clear sound of woodwork going on somewhere close to Vijay, maybe in his house or the neighbouring house.

  The next day, Shanti Devi called again, ‘Kya, gussa ho humse (Why, are you angry with me)? You know how much I love you. Please maaf kar do (Please forgive me).’

  ‘Haan, haan, theek hai! But you really spoiled my mood. Don’t forget, I am Vijay Samrat, the king of Nawada, Shekhpura,’ roared Vijay.

  ‘Ay hai, mere raja, your queen is waiting for you.’

  This meaningless, silly romantic talk went on for some time. I had to put an end to it.

  ‘Ranjan, find the carpenter’s shop closest to Vijay’s location. Immediately,’ I said to Ranjan.

  ‘Carpenter’s shop? What for, sir?’

  ‘Ranjan, a carpenter is working either near or inside Vijay’s house. I heard the sound of a hammer and saw yesterday. And I heard exactly the same sound today, in the morning.’

  Ranjan understood. The newspaper vendor had been instrumental in Horlicks’s arrest. Now the carpenter would lead us to Vijay.

  ‘In such a small locality, there can be only one or two carpenters. Ask the carpenter where exactly he is working. If you don’t get the exact address, at least identify the exact block.’

  In less than an hour, I got a call from Ranjan.

  ‘Sir, I know the house and the block. Should I raid it? I have Raju, Krishna and Shiv Narayan with me.’

  ‘Don’t try anything right now. The houses are small and very close to each other. You never know which house Vijay is hiding in. He might be on the first floor and the carpenter might be working on the ground floor. The sound of the hammer can easily travel from the ground floor to the first floor. We will nab him when we are absolutely sure of Vijay’s location.’

  ‘Sir, I got it. You are absolutely right.’

  ‘Try to find out the details of the residents of the house as clandestinely as possible.’

  ‘Sure, sir.’

  ‘And don’t take Raju and Krishna with you. He’ll identify them instantly.’

  ‘Yes, sir. This is the first thing I’ll do tomorrow morning.’

  39

  ‘Aa Gaya Hoon Chhatt Par’

  I did not sleep that night. It was more out of excitement, less because of tension. In my mind, I was already celebrating my triumph.

  At 6.15 a.m., I got Ranjan’s call. He sounded absolutely dejected.

  ‘Sir, anarth ho gaya (Sir, disaster has struck). Everything is finished,’ said a crestfallen Ranjan.

  ‘Why . . . what happened?’ Ranjan gave the phone to Krishna. He was too scared to talk to me.

  ‘Sir, Raju and I had gone to have our morning tea at a local dhaba. As we walked towards our Bolero, we saw Vijay washing his face at a chapakal across the road.’

  ‘What the **!& is a chapakal?’

  ‘Sir, a handpump.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘Sir, it seems Vijay saw Raju.’

  I was speechless, bewildered at the turn of events.

  ‘Sir, Vijay was splashing water on his face. As he looked up, his eyes met Raju’s. I feel as if Vijay’s eyes followed us all the way till we walked out of his sight,’ said Krishna.

  It was an absolute anticlimax, a very sad ending to our fairy tale operation.

  ‘Sir, I am still not sure if Vijay recognized Raju. He has grown a long beard, and his head was covered by a gamchcha, a small hand towel,’ Krishna continued.

  ‘Why the hell did you not catch him?’ I asked sternly.

  ‘We did not know how
to react. We did not expect Vijay to appear in front of us all of a sudden,’ Krishna continued.

  I regained my composure quickly. My mind was working at a frenetic pace. ‘All of you reach that block of houses and take your positions. Call me the moment you are ready.’

  I had no time to lose.

  I dialled the number of the Pakur DSP. Incidentally, he had worked with me before Bihar and Jharkhand were divided.

  ‘Hello, Rajiv. This is Amit Lodha. Remember me?’

  ‘Jai Hind, sir. Of course. How are you, sir?’

  ‘Rajiv, I have sent a police team from Shekhpura to nab a small-time goon, a petty extortionist. Please ask the SHO of Maheshpur to remain on standby. Just in case.’

  ‘Sure, sir, I’ll tell the SHO right away.’

  It was a routine matter. Rajiv called the SHO and became busy with his work.

  After about ten minutes, Ranjan called.

  ‘Sir, we are ready,’ said Ranjan confidently.

  ‘Ranjan, ask Raju and Krishna to block the exits of the building block. Shiv Narayan and you, cock your weapons. I have asked the local police to be ready in case of any trouble,’ I spoke with absolute self-assurance.

  ‘Ranjan, keep your phones on silent mode and maintain absolute discretion. I am going to call Vijay.’

  Ranjan agreed and cut the call, saying, ‘Yes, sir.’ He was too charged up to talk much.

  I dialled Vijay’s number. This time, he picked up the phone immediately, as if he had been waiting for my call.

  ‘Abe, kuchch khabar hai toh batao. Gusal mein hoon (If you have some credible information, tell me. I am in the bathroom). Otherwise go screw yourself,’ Vijay swore at me.

  ‘Arre, bhai, the police are very close to catching you.’

  ‘What? Are you trying to scare me?’ Vijay asked, rubbing a Lifebuoy soap on his body.

  ‘Hello, hello, I can’t hear you, Vijay Bhaiyya. It seems there is some network problem.’

  ‘I can hear you. Speak!’ snarled Vijay.

  ‘Hello, bhaiyya. Why don’t you go outside? Or even better, go to the terrace. I’ll be able to hear you properly. I have to tell you something very important about the plans of the police.’