Tere Bin - A Parallel Universe

Chapter Nineteen

The sun rays cast upon the expanse of Khan Haveli's village lawn where the Panchayat had been called. Murtasim Khan sat with an air of authority among the elders, his face a mask of stoicism as he listened to the heart-wrenching pleas of the villagers whose family members had been brutally murdered in the shadows of the night.

The room buzzed with tension, the gravity of the situation palpable. He was sitting with his leg crossed over the other, his posture exuding a quiet confidence that demanded attention. The villagers recounted the brutal murders of their family members, and Murtasim Khan's sharp eyes carefully observed the room, gauging the emotions of the people present. His head throbbed with the weight of the responsibility he carried. The atmosphere was charged as emotions ran high.

He had come to the village by 10 in the morning and after thoroughly listening to the eye-witnesses he had called the panchayat along with Malik Mukhtar and Malik Zubair. However, that menace had not come and his father had made it to the panchayat meeting thrity minutes later. The absence of Malik Zubair was glaring. Despite the pounding in his head, he maintained his composure. 

Malik Mukhtar was sitting opposite to Murtasim Khan, his head bowed and his gaze fixed on the ground as he listened to the Khan's people. He looked up with a mixture of defiance and concern. Murtasim's presence was a constant reminder that justice needed to be served, regardless of one's status or connections.

The Khan's had caught hold of two of the Malik's guards that were on a run. They usually guarded the fields where the murders had taken place so their presence here and bowed head in front of Murtasim Khan had made the Malik realize that the heinous crime had been carried out by the guards after his son had told them to do so.

The Khan's retaliation had been measured, and Murtasim's mind raced, grappling with the complexities of justice and retribution. 

The atmosphere in the village panchayat was tense, and Malik Mukhtar could feel the weight of judgment hanging in the air. The elder's words echoed in his mind as he struggled to maintain composure in the face of mounting accusations against his son, Zubair.

"Malik Mukhtar, ap ke bande ap ke samne hain ab ap ka kya kehna hai?" the elder questioned once again, his gaze unwavering as he asked Malik to speak up.

Malik Mukhtar tried to take control and cleared his throat before responding, "Agar is sab main Zubair ka hath hai, to main har kisam ka harjana bharne ko tayar hoon." His words were filled with a mixture of anguish and determination. The accusations against his son had stained the honor of their family, and Malik Mukhtar was ready to bear the consequences if Zubair was found guilty.

"Sabit hone ko kuch nahi bacha, Malik Sahab," the elder chimed in with a mocking tone. "Agar ap ka baita qasoor var na hota to aj vo yahan hota, ap ko to ye tak nahi pata ke vo kahan hai."

The accusation hit Malik Mukhtar hard, and he bowed his head in shame. The collective judgment of the community weighed heavily on him, and it was evident in the hushed whispers that filled the air.

Amidst the tension, Murtasim Khan, the leader of the Khan clan, observed the proceedings with a hawk-like gaze. The same elder turned to Murtasim and asked, "Khan Ji, app kya chahte hain?"

Murtasim regarded the elder briefly before shifting his gaze to Malik Mukhtar. Despite the longstanding rivalry between their families, Mukhtar always seemed like a man of reason at any moment.

"Main chahta hoon ke police ko bulaya jae," Murtasim declared with authority. 

"In dono bandon ko un ke hawale kiya jae or Zubair ko dhoonda jae. In ki gawahi usko saza dilwane ko kafi hai, or malikon ko harjane ke tor pe in do khandanon ki zimmedari uthana hogi ya apni zameenon ka kuch hissa in ke khandan ko daina hoga."