Nirupama

Nirupama-17

NIRUPAMA

(Some Secrets May Better Remain Secrets Forever)

'I cannot bear this', 'I want to pluck my eyes out' only these two sentences were the clues which the late girl Nirupama left in writing one on a wall and one in a book quite unintentionally and involuntarily to know about the reason for her committing suicide. Her father Ranganath, detective Smaran and his niece Menaka along with Nirupama's friend Sukanya pretty well understood that Nirupama did not want the said secret to be known to anyone else. But since her father Ranganath hell bent upon knowing about the said secret, detective Smaran and his niece Menaka ruthlessly investigated the matter only to unearth the said ghastly, shocking and astounding secret which the dead girl terribly wished to keep only with her in her grave forever.

x x x x x

"You both go into Menaka's room and enjoy yourselves there. Once you come down I treat you with coffee and tiffin." Nirmala said.

"Don't bother yourself preparing anything for us." Madhuri said. "I have taken something before coming here and I am not feeling any hungry at all."

"It is not so. First you both go up and come down. I shall decide whether to give you something or not." Nirmala said.

Then Menaka led her mother into the upstairs room.

"Strange lady. I just cannot think that she is mad. She is appearing alright in all respects to me." Once Menaka and Madhuri settled in the upstairs room, Madhuri said.

"No one can think that she is mad and in one way she is not mad at all." Menaka said. "What is the only peculiar thing in her is, she is imagining that her daughter is still alive."

"Very sad and astonishing! I never have seen something like this till now in my life." Madhuri said with surprise.

"Mom, you know one thing? That girl Nirupama committed suicide in this very room itself. She hanged herself to this ceiling fan with her chunni."

"My god! What you are saying? And you are staying in this very room itself!" her eyes became wide. "Are not you feeling odd? Are not you scared?"

For a moment Menaka thought to say about her experiences to her mother. But she felt fear that her mother would become too much fearful and compel her to leave that house, so she preferred not to say about that.

"No mom I am hundred percent alright here. I am feeling quite normal. Just because one common girl committed suicide in this room, do we feel fear to stay here?"

"May be you are right, I cannot say. But if I were you I would not at all prefer to stay here." Looking around carefully Madhuri said. Then the photograph on the wall caught her eyes.

She got off from the bed and went near to the photo. "I think this girl is that Nirupama."

"You are right mom." Menaka came near to her mother and said. "This very girl is that Nirupama. This is the girl who has committed suicide and made me stay like this in this room."

"Beautiful, really beautiful" Madhuri said. "I thought you are the beautiful girl until this moment. But seeing this girl I have changed my opinion. She is the most beautiful girl."

"I agree with you without any reservation." Menaka smiled and said.

"What the bloody reason that made this beautiful girl to commit suicide?" Madhuri said.

"That is what I want to know and engaged the services of your brother."

Hearing that voice they both turned back. Ranganath stood there.