Murder At Royal Villa // Rajit Bandopadhyay

The question of to open the main gate never arouse if a car was not come here . There was a small side gate , near which a gaurd was sitting on a stool . He was a tall and stout young fellow . Seeing his figure and face it became in the mind that the man was not from Nepal or Bhutan . Rather he was from Tibet , that mean Sikkimies . Maternal aunt , I mean Susmita Devi , who after marriage with maternal uncle Jit Banerjee became maternal aunt of me and Shuktika both , whispered in my ear ,

-- He is looking the film star Danny Dinzagappa !

It was right . With him a Lepcha guard also there . I think they each had twelve hours responsibilities of the gate .

That time maternal uncle was not with us . First day he obviously came here . Seeing the first day reception of maternal uncle by their masters , both the gaurds understood that the mates are also respectable . Nowadays Jit Banerjee's labour has increased more . Recently he alone ran after the mysteries . Along with he became careful about the matter of maternal aunt . So I and shuktika excluded . We had to pleased to attend at the Kolkata office only . This time the case had come from Kolkata . In the request of a familiar man of him , he brought us with him to get our company and for rest . He will take the rest . So tell us ,

-- Too many days has passed to investigate with me . Now what is in my presence or not ! You go and observe all this time . Open your eyes and mind . If you see any unusual thing comes and tells me .

Coming in Pomiyangchi we were not lodging at the Royal Villa . We were lodging at the new build Pomiyangchi resort .

From a few distance the river Rangat has kept the Royal Villa in south and flows down through the north behind the jungle . Movement of this river is like the highlander place of the north which was once forbidden country , calm and deeply meditative .

As we came down stairs after observe the villa , we met the care taker Puran Gurung . He had a rifel in his one hand and two cocks in the other hand . Though the hunting has band by the government but the villa had some jungle at its north - west and it was the property of the Singdeo's . Yet there is no restriction to hunt in private property . I took the rifel and observed it well . Though I have not such knowledge about the rifel , I thought that it was a costly and made by a famous company .

Topshe thought , if handled him well , then many important information might come out . As Topshe started to talk , Gurung told ,

-- Anybody who is studying on the verandah at his own house , can die by the fire of the murderer ? But he died in this way . He was a very learned man . Though he had no child, but had a adopted child . Lust summer the boy came here . The boy has broken down . He is only twenty years old . His name is Udayaditya Singhdeo .

-- Do you know in which college he is studying ?

-- That I don't know .

-- Your master who had killed , was his name Rudraditya ?

-- Yes sir . He was a learned man . The most of his time he lived in Kolkata . He teaches there in a college . Very simple and learned man . He had no fancy for dress or no bad addiction . Who can kill such a man , who had no enemy ? Nobody here can't think of it .

-- Well , is Udayaditya now here ?

-- Yes . But the poor fellow has broken down in the death of his guardian . Are you not meet with him ?

-- No , we have not meet anyone but only your youngest master Mr Shiladitya Singhdeo .

Shuktika asked ,

-- The eldest master Mr Pratapaditya Singhdeo not come here ?

-- He also come here but in the time of puja mainly . This place is his dearest place . But his coming and going are continuously going on . His business is not only the tea garden , there are more business he has here also .

-- Is it !

Shuktika said exclaimedly . Gurung became busy and told us to see the palace like villa . He said and climbed the up stairs .

We knew that we had come to Pomiyangchi on a tour for some days in the request of Pratapaditya Singhdeo . He told us to stay at their villa . He gave us a letter in a envelope and told to read us it . From that letter we became to know the real matter . Pratapaditya Singhdeo wrote that he was in danger and to rescue him from it . He also gave a cheque of three lakhs with that letter .

But maternal uncle's mind was fill up with regret . In this by hook or by crook to fullfill their interest , the buisness man has no companion . Though it can say that as a man this Pratapaditya is not bad . Though it is a compulsion . Susmita observed my face and guessed my mind and asked ,

-- Then , is the tour ends ?

-- Ah ! Why that , it will kill two birds with one stone .

Suddenly the cell phone's ring tone started all of us . As uncle received the phone call , we hear the voice of Pratapaditya Singhdeo and uncle asked ,

-- Hallo ! Where are you sir ?

-- Near my house , Alipore .

-- Look sir , how in this way the. investigation of a murder case goes on ? I need the post-mortem report , forensic report etc . Is police framing charge against any one or has done it ? Under which police station your villa is coming in ? Beside this , it is very necessary to interrogate the members of your family . When are you coming here ? If you are not coming soon then we have to return to Kolkata .

Hearing the answer of the other end he offed the switch of the mobile and looking at us and said ,

-- No , the police has not given any charge against anybody . That is a small town . So I think that easily somebody can able to give the bribe . It may be possible that somebody can give the bribe to the upper hand . It is not understand that on which path this country is walking on !

Susmita in that time said in a serious tone ,

-- Then you are saying that we have nothing to do more !

-- obviously we have . Where is corruption we have to protest honestly . But can we do it ? We never think a moment that , if we keep silent , in future the steps will fall over our step ! The future of without protest is darken . Today the whole world is selling gradually !

-- Is Pratapaditya and his family very wealthy ?

Shuktika asked in very calm voice .

-- It is very true . Who has many , his need is more .

I asked to look at maternal uncle ,

-- And this murder ?

-- who knows who had done it . May be it is the achievement of a member of Singhdeo's family . Is the matter clear ?

-- Yes , it has cleared .

We observed almost all the villa and come out from it . A good quantity of vacant place were there before the villa's gate .

Uncle told , to understand the murder case , at first you should investigate that , what is its motive . Try to understand who's profit is most from this murder . The people who are near and far of this murder they may have to fullfill of their jealousy or revenge . Along with there is the ill - will also , which is the main motive all over the world .

Through the jungle of the north - west we came straight on the bank of the river . Suddenly Shuktika told to Topshe ,

-- Let we don't return by the road , rather we return by the river bank . Let us observed from that side how the villa look like . Along with , the pug mark of the animals will identify and which animals are here in this jungle will come out .

Susmita said ,

-- wow ! You have told right .

Topshe told to frighten them ,

-- I have no objection to go but the bear may scratch with the nails .

Shuktika never mind his words and asked ,

-- Sumi , have you look the kitchen manager ? What you feel about him ?

-- Hum ! I have seen . Many foreign and country's gentleman come in this villa . So Manoj Bhardwaj can tell the english fluently .

Shuktika said ,

-- Practice make perfect .

Topshe said with serious face ,

-- At all not madam . He is an English graduate . He started to talk in english with uncle , after threatened at last leaving Bengali he started in hindi ---- are you not noticed yesterday ?

The both girls said " yes yes " and shuted up at last .