The Veils of Deities

Chapter 3: Shadows of Suspicion

The evening sun cast long shadows across the city of Hyderabad as Arun made his way back to the temple of Keshava Swamy. His mind buzzed with anticipation as he thought about his meeting with Sneha later that night. There was something about her that intrigued him, a sense of connection that he couldn't quite explain.

As he approached the temple gates, Arun's thoughts turned to the Symanataka Mani that he had discovered earlier. The small, intricately carved Jewel seemed to pulse with a mysterious energy.

But as Arun entered the temple grounds, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He glanced around nervously, his senses on high alert as he scanned the area for any signs of danger.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows—a man dressed in dark clothing, his features obscured by the dim light of the setting sun.

 Arun's heart raced as he watched the man approach, a sense of unease gnawing at the pit of his stomach.

"Dr. Sharma," the man said, his voice low and menacing. "We need to talk."

Arun's pulse quickened as he recognized the voice—it belonged to Ramesh Patel, the minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment  Department of the Telangana State who manages and controls the  temples administration within the state, he is also known for his shady dealings and connections to the criminal underworld.He smuggles god idols, sells in the antiquity market and runs the idol smuggling racket. 

 Arun had crossed paths with Ramesh before as he was one of the official of the Archaeological survey of india who was summoned by the police in the year 2018 to examine and confirm the antiquity of the idols. He recovered a total of 1200 idols and Ramesh Patel was the one who was all behind this.

"What do you want, Ramesh?" Arun asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Patel's lips curled into a sinister smile as he stepped closer, his eyes glinting with malice. "I hear you've made quite a discovery at the temple," he said. "A Mani, is it? Something of great value, I presume?"

Arun's grip tightened on the small box in his hand as he eyed Patel warily. "I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through his veins.

Patel's smile widened as he reached out to grab Arun's arm, his touch sending a shiver down Arun's spine. "Don't play games with me, Dr. Sharma," he hissed. "I know what you found, and I want it."

Before Arun could react, Patel's grip tightened, his fingers digging into Arun's flesh with a strength that belied his slender frame. Arun winced in pain, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan to escape Patel's clutches.

But before he could act, a voice rang out from behind them—a voice that Arun recognized immediately.

"Let him go, Ramesh."

Arun turned to see Sneha standing before them, her eyes blazing with determination. She held herself with an air of confidence, her posture straight and unwavering as she faced off against Patel.

For a moment, there was silence as the three of them stood locked in a tense standoff. Sneha knew Ramesh Patel as she was the one who reported about the idol smuggling racket to the police.Then, with a muttered curse, Patel released his grip on Arun's arm and backed away, slowly uttering " It's not yet over, Dr. Sharma. I'll see you again" and disappearing into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.

Arun let out a sigh of relief as he watched Ramesh go, his heart still pounding with adrenaline. 

"Thank you," he said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Sneha offered him a reassuring smile, her eyes soft with concern. "Don't mention it," she replied. "I couldn't just stand by and watch while he threatened you."

Arun's heart still pounded with residual adrenaline as he looked at Sneha, his mind whirling with questions. "What are you doing here, Sneha?" he asked, his voice betraying his curiosity. "I didn't expect to see you at the temple grounds."

Sneha's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "I... I was just passing by," she replied, her gaze flickering away from his. "And I saw what was happening. I couldn't ignore it."

Arun studied her carefully, a sense of suspicion creeping into his mind. Sneha's explanation seemed plausible, but there was something in her demeanor that made him wonder if there was more to the story. "Well, I'm grateful that you were here," he said, his tone softening. "Your timing couldn't have been better."

Sneha nodded, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of relief and apprehension. "I'm just glad I could help," she said, her voice quiet.

Arun wanted to press her for more information, to unravel why she had appeared at the temple just when he needed her most. But he sensed that now was not the time, that there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Come on," he said, gesturing towards the entrance of the temple. "Let's get out of here before Patel decides to come back."

Sneha nodded, falling into step beside him as they made their way out of the temple grounds. The fading light of the evening cast long shadows across their path.

As they walked, Arun couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Sneha's presence at the temple than she was letting on.

 But for now, he pushed his doubts aside, focusing instead on the bond that was forming between them—a bond that would prove to be stronger than either of them could have imagined.

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ika selavu ..