(Detective Arjun):
All the appointed members of PANM arrived at the headquarters, aware that this was no ordinary incident. They knew it wouldn't be easily resolved; this was going to be one of the toughest cases in their careers. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, they specifically requested the government to include 'him' in the PANM.
"'Him' referred to the best detective India had ever seen: Arjun, Detective Arjun."
He was the best detective India had ever known, having solved numerous cases that seemed impossible to other detectives and officers. He also had a contract with the Russian defense agency, where he helped solve many complicated cases.
Not everyone liked his way of doing things. Though undoubtedly the best detective, his methods were often more awkward than anything else. He never followed standard protocols and did whatever he thought was necessary to solve the case.
Two years ago, during the last case he solved, he did something that led to a protest. As a result, Russia broke their contract with him, and the Indian government also refused to work with him. He was abandoned as if he were nothing.
Now, the government needed him again, but bringing him in was difficult because he was an egoist. After what happened in the past, he would never agree to work with the government again.
Another major problem was that no one knew where he was. After the government abandoned him, he vanished without a trace, like a ghost. However, he had given a special number to the defense minister, meant to be used only in a national emergency.
Everyone involved in the case believed that Detective Arjun would refuse to work with the government again.
It was decided that a trace would be set up to find his location, but they later discovered that the number was an old Japanese telephone number, probably from the 1980s, making it impossible to trace.
That same day, using a classical telephone and the number provided by Detective Arjun, the defense minister managed to contact him...
***
A thin and tall man stood by the glass window of a dark hotel room, dressed in a fine-knit, dark grey merino wool sweater and dark navy chinos. He wore an understated watch with a leather strap on his left wrist and dark brown leather loafers. As he glanced out at the overcast sky, his hands remained tucked into his pockets. A newspaper lay discarded on the couch, its headline boldly displayed:
'The Naroda Massacre'
A television, airing the same news as the newspaper on the couch, was mounted on the right-side wall behind him. Suddenly, a black telephone—placed awkwardly beside the lamp, conveniently within reach from where he stood by the window—began to ring, as if he had been expecting the call.
He picked up the phone, and in a calm voice, said, "Hello." The caller replied, "Defense Minister Ajit Mehta here. Am I speaking to—" The tall man interrupted, "Yes." The minister continued, "You might already know why I called. We need you, please don't—" The man cut him off, "There's no need for that. I'm personally interested in this case, which is why I'm already in Ahmedabad." The minister was taken aback. "Really? If that's the case, head to the PANM headquarters as soon as possible." The man responded, "I'll be there in an hour." He hung up the phone, glanced back at the television, and calmly said, "If this isn't a natural calamity or something of that sort, I might be facing a monster."
Fueled by his interest in solving the mystery, Detective Arjun was already in Ahmedabad. Without hesitation, he selected a black suit from his wardrobe and drove to the PANM headquarters in his Mercedes.
YOU ARE READING
The Naroda Massacre
Tajemnica / ThrillerUnveil the Mystery: 6,000 Lives Lost in a Single Day-No Clues, No Answers When an entire community is struck down in a single day, with no apparent cause, the world is left in shock. Dive into the gripping and enigmatic tale of Naroda, where a peace...