A Person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.
- Jean De La Fontaine
Next day, Ajay went to police station on time and got back to his normal duties. He knew that SP Chaudhary was still angry with him, and he didn't want to give any further excuse for him to be mad.
He left for the hostel in the evening and first met Anita. She was in tears all the time while talking to him. Ajay knew how close Vidya and Anita were, and he was stuck again by what a lovely nature Vidya had, to have such loyal friends everywhere.
Wiping tears from her cheeks "I still can't understand what happened. Vidya was the most careful person around and she would often correct mistakes made by other interns. To think that she would have got that plasma mixed up for the patient, it's just unbelievable."
Ajay was happy to note that Anita's belief and trust in her friend remained unaffected by what happened.
Ajay continued his questions now that he could see Anita was much more composed now.
"Was Vidya not feeling well that day or feeling worried? The Dean said she took the day off as she wasn't feeling well. Did she come back to the hostel to get some rest?"
Anita shook her head in denial "Actually that day I had morning shift so I left early at 7am and Vidya was still sleeping then. I came back to the room around 3pm but she wasn't in the room, and I didn't see her in the ward that morning either... I left for my hometown that evening. I kept trying to call her on the mobile all afternoon but always got the message that it was switched off.
I assumed that may be she was with you or something.
As I was getting late for my flight, I left for the Airport around 7pm. So the whole day I didn't see her at all. But ever since ... ever since this happened, you don't know how many times I cursed myself for not meeting her that day. Perhaps this tragedy wouldn't have occurred if I just met her." saying this she burst into fresh tears.
Ajay knew exactly how guilty Anita was feeling as he too was in the same boat.
"Anita, it's not your fault at all. Please don't ever think like that." He said consolingly.
"Did you observe anything unusual in the hostel or in the hospital that day?" he continued.
She shook her saying no but then suddenly remembered "That day when I was waiting for the cab to the Airport, I saw that goon Pratap Chaudhary along with his gang in a four wheel drive waiting outside the hospital. They didn't see me, but I just wondered why they were there?" she exclaimed.
Ajay just sat back and absorbed this information. A vague picture started forming in his mind. The fact that the Dean and Vikram Chaudhary were seen at various events together definitely pointed that the Dean was quite close to the Minister. And the ease with which SP Kamal Chaudhary dismissed the Blood Smuggling case of Nalanda Hospital. The most striking was Vikram Chaudhary's secretary Dhanraj's reaction in the morning towards him. He could see the fear in his eyes. Why? All these men were somehow guilty, and it has got something to do with the scams at the hospital. It became evident to him that somehow Vidya became a victim of the sinister scams of Nalanda hospital.
His belief that Vidya never committed suicide had become a potential reality now.
But immediately he got worried about Anita's safety as well.
"Anita, have you told the police or anyone that you have seen Pratap here at the hospital that day?" he asked urgently.
Anita was quite firm in her answer "No, I didn't ever remember that incident until now."
Ajay was quick to warn her "Please be very careful Anita. There are lot of frauds going on in this hospital. Please do not tell anyone that you have seen Pratap that day near the hospital. I cannot tell you how important it is to keep this information to yourself. I warned Vidya too that night but she didn't listen to me."
He went on to explain how he caught the culprits smuggling blood packets at the hospital, and Dean's reaction about the whole episode etc.
Anita looked shocked to know all this.
"Vidya was so trusting Ajay; she always thought everyone had a good heart just like her. I never liked that Dean and now from what you just told me, I am certain he is a sleazy man." Anita fumed.
Ajay advised to be very careful once again and not to speak to anyone about what they discussed. Assuring her that he will be keeping an eye on the hostel and hospital as well, he left.
He finally met the Hostel Warden Mrs. Varma who gave all the personal belongings of Vidya to him. They were set aside and packed carefully by Anita. The hostel warden again said how sorry she was about what happened to Vidya, and Ajay was convinced that she was not involved in this case. He thanked both warden and Anita and left the hostel with all Vidya's belongings safely loaded in his jeep.
By the time he reached home, it was quite late. As he opened the door he found a sealed cover on the doormat. Once he opens the cover, he realises that it is a post mortem report.
And this report clearly stated that Vidya died due to strangulation of her neck by strong hands and the time of death was 8PM.
Ajay was ecstatic. Finally he found a proof confirming his suspicions. He felt truly grateful to this secret helper who sent this Post Mortem report directly to him.
It also now became clear to him that SP Kamal Chaudhary was involved in this murder and its cover up as no one else would have the influence to induce the police surgeon to give a false post mortem report.
He was filled with uncontrollable fury as he realised how heartlessly they killed a kind hearted person like Vidya and then tried to make it look like suicide and blame her for the scandal.

His knuckles whitened from clenching his fist too hard, he hunched on the sofa with gritted teeth in an effort to remain silent, his body burning with hatred and anger. His face was red with suppressed rage, and he feared that he might just go and shoot these criminals if he can't control himself now.
He also realised how cunning and manipulative SP Kamal and the Dean had been with him.
He recalled every word and every gesture of SP Kamal Chaudhary and Dean since Vidya's death and tried to dissect meaning behind it all. If SP Kamal is involved, he had to deal with this case very carefully he reminded himself.
He still had no specific details as to why and who actually murdered Vidya. What did she do or know that they had to murder her?
****
Next day, Ajay had no time to find out any further information about the post mortem report as he was busy with the security arrangements for Pratap Chaudhary's rally.
SP Chaudhary ordered him (nicely enough) to go and meet Dhanraj at Vikram Chaudhary's Party Headquarters.
Ajay on reaching the party office found the Dean Dr Tripathi chatting with Pratap Chaudhary in the main room. His blood boiled but he controlled himself with great difficulty.
Dean got very flustered when he noticed Ajay on the premises but covered it up quickly and introduced Ajay to Pratap Chaudhary.
Pratap asked Ajay quite aggressively "why are you here?"
Ajay gritted his teeth but answered agreeably "Mr Dhanraj Bhatia has asked me to look into the security arrangement for the upcoming rally."
Pratap still glaring at Ajay replied "We asked SP Kamal to look into this not you."
Ajay replied cynically "I am afraid you are stuck with me; you see SP Kamal Chaudhary is quite busy with other important meetings with Inspector General so he has delegated this task to me."
Before Pratap could throw another insult at Ajay, party secretary Dhanraj walked in and took Ajay to the conference room inside.
After discussing the security arrangements with secretary and other party workers, Ajay left the office. But reflecting on the reactions of the Dean and Pratap towards him, he was now completely satisfied in his belief that Pratap, Kamal and the Dean were involved in Vidya's death.
The helmet guy on the motorbike was waiting outside the office not drawing attention to himself.
He waited till Ajay left and tried to enter the office. His previous attempts to enter the office failed miserably. But this time he was lucky. The guard at the front was nowhere to be seen. He entered quickly and hid himself in the first room he could find empty. It was a small room with basic furniture in it including a table and large filing desk etc.
He looked around the room. There was a window to the backside but it was shut tightly. He looked up and found a ventilator at the top. Just then he heard loud voices from the room next door.
Pratap was still annoyed that Ajay is looking after the security arrangements for the rally instead of Kamal. He tried calling Kamal couple of times but the SP was not picking up the phone... this frustrated Pratap even further.
The moment Dhanraj returned from the meeting he started shouting at him.
"What the hell are you and that Kamal playing at Dhanraj? Why is that Ajay involved with my rally security arrangements?
The Bike rider listening to this conversation from the next room caught his breath the moment he heard Ajay's name. He noiselessly moved the table against the wall, and stood up on top of it and tried sneaking into the next room through the ventilator. He concentrated doubly hard now watching the confrontation between Pratap and Dhanraj.
Dhanraj sounded scared and apologetic at the same time." PratapJi, SP Kamal got orders from his top boss that he to attend the current meetings. He had no choice but to delegate the task to his next in rank. Ajay is the ACP here so he handed over the responsibility to him. Please control your temper."
Pratap was moving in the middle of the room restlessly.
"I have a feeling he is up to something Dhanraj. I don't like him being around us... What if he is actually here to investigate us? May be he suspects or knows that I killed his fiancé!"
The Bike rider took a quick breath and staggered. What he just heard hit him like an explosion.
Meanwhile Dhanraj got panicked by Pratap's outburst.
He had every inclination to shush Pratap but he didn't dare to.
But he requested Pratap timidly "Please don't say such things out in the open like that... You are going to be a politician soon. You need to control that temper of yours if you want to succeed in politics. Ajay doesn't know anything. In fact Kamal told me that Ajay wasn't even that he has look after the security arrangements till two days ago.
SP Chaudhary will be there with you on the day of the rally so don't worry.
Please stay calm and leave everything to me." he pleaded.
Pratap shouted "No, you listen to me. From tomorrow I want two of our men to tail that Ajay guy 24x7. I want to know what he is up to."
Dhanraj agreed to do this and then left the room.
The bike rider next room slowly got down from the table and moved it back to its original position.
His heart was thumping hard and he was still in shock from what he just heard.
He left the building once he was convinced no one was around to notice him leaving.
He started his bike in a hurry and drove on. He had to share this awful news straight away at home.
***
Ajay went to the police forensics office and asked to meet the chief police surgeon Dr Tiwari there, only to be told that he was currently on leave and a temporary officer was in charge at the moment.
He decided to contact the surgeon again after the work related to Pratap Chaudhary's rally is out of the way.
***
Next day Ajay along with Sub Inspector Sarang, Constable Ramesh and 20 constables from their station and other regional stations were present at the rally. They were co-ordinating the arrangement with party volunteers.
The rally was organised at an open ground on the city's outskirts. Public from adjacent towns and villages kept coming in droves to the venue in Lorries, party buses etc.

The mere sight of Minister Vikram Chaudhary along with Pratap and SP Kamal sent waves of hatred through Ajay. But he knew what he must do and stayed calm.
Observing the party cadre and the crowds gathered, Constable Ramesh said "the elections are going to be held 6 months from now. So they have started their soft campaign to garner support for their candidate."
First the party secretary Dhanraj Bhatia took to the stage and gave a lengthy speech praising the good deeds of Pratap Chaudhary towards upliftment of slum areas in the constituency, his kind nature etc.
Pratap in his own speech didn't say much except repeat the promises made by his party.
"What a dull speech? Of course what can you expect from a guy who knows nothing but being a thug and terrorise people." Constable Ramesh remarked sarcastically.
Ajay's temper was already flared up. There was so much noise and commotion around.
"Can you please stop the commentary and check that left hand side barricade. It looks like it has fallen off." He barked.
As Ramesh was walking towards the barricade, a motorbike rider dressed in full leather outfit and helmet rammed through the opening in the barricade towards the stage, and shot at Pratap Chaudhary with a revolver.
As Pratap Chaudhary collapsed to the floor, utter chaos and bedlam spread near the stage and in the crowds.
***
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Hi everyone
Who is that Mysterious Bike Rider ??
Has the death of Vidya been avenged?
What is Ajay going to do now?
Read the next chapters to find out.
Its my dream to see Barun Sobti in a cop/detective role
with lots of action and this story is my attempt and
imagination around that.
Please vote for the chapters and give me your comments..
It means a lot.Lots of love
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