Chronicle 19

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There comes a time in life when everything turns severely inconvenient. And there comes a time in life, when everything turns dangerously convenient. Why do I say so? You'll see.

That night, the Hegdes got two consecutive news.
Vaibhav Patel was taken into custody. Madan Patel had got a severe heart attack and was admitted in hospital.

Mohan Patel had filed a plead to reopen the closed case of his son's death, which hadn't reached any conclusion last time. He even added that he had assorted reasons to believe that his nephew was behind this. Mohan Patel being a big man, the police in no time reopened the four years old, case number 689.

Subhadra, Maanav and Sandhya ran to the hospital. Madan was in coma. Sadhna was wailing vigorously sitting on a bench before the cabin. A neighbor tried to pacify her.

Subhadra didn't know what she should do exactly. She hadn't expected this. Dad's was the only face that still flashed in her dreams. She rushed inside the cabin behind Maanav. Maanav was already talking to the doctors.

" Critical." , Maanav said. 
Severe myocardial infarction. Subhadra knew. A tear escaped her eye.
She hadn't expected this on earth.

Sadhna clung onto Subhadra and cried for life. A woman who had lost everything at a go, endeared or tried to endear even the one she had herself disowned. Subhadra didn't hug bag. Stood like a stone. She cursed herself for her unmoving hands. Maanav appeared from nowhere and pulled her hands up from the sides, making her hug Sadhna. She cursed herself once again.

" Subhi, your brother is in jail. Something has gone terribly wrong. Please,  please go to him. Please Subhi!! Khurana uncle and others have reached.
I cannot take these anymore. My head feels like bursting.... " , Sadhna pleaded.

Subhadra slowly nodded.
Mohan Patel hadn't even cared to visit his comatose brother.

---

Subhadra Hegde had never seen such a disabled defense lawyer.

Khurana uncle had picked him up from somewhere. As pumpkin his face was his brain.

The persecution was so, so able that, Vaibhav Patel was left nowhere before everyone in the court.....and the world.

A glimpse of the public prosecutor, Ms Iravati Singhania's presentation of case 689 below.

" So Mr Vaibhav Patel, you say you didn't murder your cousin, right? "

" Of course!!! My mother's promise!! "

" So kiddish. You are thirty. Did you forget? Or is it your habit behaving kiddish, being a spoilt pampered child? "
Iravati grinned.

Vaibhav stirred, flaring.

" Your honor, 26th June 2004, was the exact date when Abheek Patel was found dead in a narrow bylane of Secunderabad. The bylane had a single store. A tiny stationery shop. The murder happened around 11 in the night. The shop was closed by then. No traffic signals or buildings around, which could provide CCTV footages. Then, why do I say murder?

Because, Abheek Patel was castrated. Post mortem done then, had revealed, that Abheek Patel died of severe pain, terror, and blood lose.
The castrating weapon was a knife, that was held in the victim's right hand itself.
Post mortem also revealed, that the castration was done by himself, but under a second person's insistence. Plus, his face was gruesomely bruised. Mostly, making his own knife-holding hand do so.

But, since there was no clue of a second party's identity, or even a proof of his existence other than the ones I mentioned above, and the police, even after a month long investigation couldn't find a single cause that would justify Abheek Patel's cruel castration and death, case number 689, came to an unjust closure.

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