Terror on the Divine - Part 1 : Behind the mask

Chapter - 7

Aguada in Goa is a place which attracts tourists owing its beauty; there is a fort there built on hill that touches the Arabian Sea, covered with dense forest with a lighthouse. The fortress of Aguada was built to defend the Portuguese stronghold against the Dutch and the Marathas; the fort was built in 1612. It was also a reference point for vessels coming from Europe at that time. The architecture of the fort was planned well and the upper part acted as a fort and water station, while the lower part served as a safe berth for ships. The upper part has a moat, underground water storage chamber, gunpowder room, lighthouse, and bastions; it also has a secret escape passageway to use during times of war or any emergency.

The name Aguada is derived from the Portuguese word which means 'watering place,' because it served freshwater for Portuguese ships during those times. Currently, a part of the fort is converted into a jail, known as Aguada Jail. The Aguada Jail mainly accommodates those who are accused of narcotics, sale of drugs and people involved in human trafficking. I was pretty sure that Mr Jobin wouldn't have kept quiet without investigating the accused of narcotics and drug selling. Probably, he might not have got the information required, or the people there might not have co-operated him. Non-cooperation could be a reason for Jobin to get frustrated. Although I was curious enough to take a chance and investigate the prisoners, for that I needed the help of Jobin. Would he help? Probably, yes.

Many of the prisoners were under investigation, and still, Jobin had not found any clue regarding the master criminal hidden somewhere and doing all such illegal business. In all probability, I could guess that the arrested ones wouldn't be having any idea of the main criminal except those who supplied the goods to them - that is the drug suppliers. My thought process went on, calculating the possibilities of finding out the source for all these illegal activities. According to me, looking at the present situation, arresting the drug dealers in numbers hadn't had any negative effect on the business; the supply chain still existed and was working undercover.

The first thing which struck my mind, and on which I wanted to take the first step towards investigation, was - how were illegal materials being circulated in the state? Was it via land, air or water transport? I knew Jobin might have worked on all of it, but, still, I wanted to revisit the same. So I had an idea of discussing the same with my team before taking any step. The social helper inside me was waking up. The first name which came to my mind was Mr Adyapak and I decided to consult with him. He lived in Panaji, 18 km away from Candolim, which was an almost 30-minute journey by road. My cell phone showed the route map from Candolim to Panaji. I could plan a trip immediately after moving to the lodge. I also planned on taking the little kid Kushi along with us. Now, she was our responsibility until we could deposit her into the safest hands. I rang Balram's cell phone.

"Get ready, we all will visit Panaji. We need to meet Adyapak immediately. Kushi's didi's case is not that simple, and it is a large established chain of illegal activities; it is better if we could go and consult with him at the earliest," I said breathlessly.

"Arjun, you know drinking and drive are not good, and it's already 10 PM. Would you like to take such a risk now? I appreciate your concern, but we can plan to go early in the morning. Get back to the lodge. We all will discuss it before meeting him," he said.

Well, he had a point. It was better to get an appointment with Mr Adyapak before rushing and going there directly. So I dialed Adyapak's number. When he answered, I said, "Sir, it's me, Arjun Dev.".

"Yeah, champ, I am not that old to forget your voice, I am still sweet 60. I had asked you guys to be prepared and to wait for my call; more surprisingly, you have remembered me. And as I know my students very well, they won't disturb me unless it's necessary. Could you tell me what made you remember me?" He spoke confidently about his student's attitude; more than anything, he knew the gratitude which his students had towards him. He was a firm believer in my strength of observation and grasping power; he had always appreciated my vital intelligence, my sharp viewpoints and my skills in understanding problems and coming up with immediate solutions with different ideologies.

"Could I know what made you remember me? Do you have anything to tell me?" Adyapak asked.

I was on my way to the lodge. "Sir, it's about illegal activities that are happening in the state of Goa; it has spread its roots across the state like an evil, slowly eating innocents. I need your help with it; when would be a good time to meet you?"

"I am not sure what illegal activities you are specifically speaking about. Anyways, you must visit before the night falls; my health is not very good these days. I have fallen ill, and my daughter is taking me to Singapore for a checkup. I won't be available for the next couple of weeks. So, it is better if you could join me before morning 4 AM, only if you think it's crucial," Adyapak told me clearly. I was aware that he had high blood pressure, which had actually affected his heart twice. I had witnessed it. The doctor had recommended that he should not get involved in social activities considering his health condition, and that it wasn't advisable for Adyapak to engage in social events for good causes. So, as per his family's instructions, he had stopped involving himself in such activities, but he supported those who were interested. "While coming back from Singapore, I will be visiting New Delhi to meet the general secretary of defense, who is asking me to join him as his assistant unofficially," Adyapak said.

Well, I had no other choice but to rush towards Panaji immediately. "I am delighted to hear from you about the general secretary of defense recognizing your abilities and offering you a job. However, I will be there in one hour's time." I realized that Adyapak's health condition was serious and, being his admirer, I decided not to involve him in Nanditha's case.

It took almost 15 minutes by walk to reach the lodge. The other 3 were playing with Kushi inside a 4-bedded, cozy room with air coolers. "Adyapak informed me, if I need to meet him, then I have to rush to Panaji right now. Probably I will ask Chirag to join me. And you both take care of Kushi here. And remember, until we hand over Kushi to safe hands, she should be safe. Ensure you will be with this kid all the time," I said, pointing at Satwik and signaling him to pass the key.