Ithadu (Part-3)

Special entry
........... - Ramu
Vamsi - Thoni
Anjaneya Prasad (CBI) - Ravi

Story

Prasad did not waste time. From the commissioner's office, he went straight to the scene of crime along with his assistants Thoni and Ramu. It was a station which is the immediate next one to where Puri, Malli and Nandu boarded.

Prasad stood watching the tracks

Thoni - "Sir, it was seven years ago. What are you watching for ?"
Ramu - "Shut up Thoni. Sir is looking for some clues. How dare you question him ? Show some loyalty man"
Prasad - "Close your mouth Ramu. It's the way you develop. Asking questions" turning to Thoni's side - "Do you know how Malli died ?"
Thoni - "Ofcourse. Nandu killed him"
Ravi - "Do you think so ?"
Thoni - "Yeah. That's what the head lines in the newspapers said seven years ago"
Ravi turning to both Thoni and Ramu - "First rule of CBI. Don't believe media"

"I was like one of you, seven years ago. Working under Ramana sir, who is a retired CBI officer now. The case was handed to the CBI then, as police gave ambiguous reports to the higher officials. So, a green signal was given to the CBI, and the case was handed to Ramana sir. The police were reluctant to hand over the dead body of Malli. But we applied for special permission and got it. We then gave the body for post mortem. In the post mortem, it was found that he was killed with a Sword, plunged through his lungs"

Ramu - "What's the big deal ? Nandu killed Malli with a sword"

Prasad - "Here comes the big deal. In the police report, they stated that they found a knife there, with Nandu's finger prints on it and then, a case was filed on Nandu"

Thoni - "Oh my God. Then, Nandu did not kill Malli. But, why did not you people?"
Prasad - "report to the authorities. We tried. Then they asked - who killed Malli"
Thoni - "Some one else in the compartment, may be"
Prasad - "The compartment is a special one and it was not reserved to any one at that time"
Thoni - "But sir, in the chaos created at the station, some one might have stepped into the train along with Nandu and Puri"
Prasad - "In the next station, the compartment was empty, except for Nandu's body. We have information that three of them boarded at the prior station and they were Nandu, Puri and Malli"
Ramu - "May be Nandu tried to elope with Puri. Malli tried to get them back to home and so Nandu killed Malli"
Prasad - "It's not possible. I have enquired about Nandu and Malli from their school friends. Nandu is more of a fearful person compared to Malli. If some one tried to convince to go back home, it should be Nandu"

The three were silent for some time. Then Prasad

"It was unbelievable. An entire police batallion was stationed in the station and the three of them escaped. People in the station reported that Nandu boarded a running train"

Ramu, jiggling - "I too have boarded twice or thrice"
Thoni - "Ramu, did you read the files thoroughly. Nandu boarded a train moving at 100 km/hr"
Prasad exclaimed- "If we would have sent Nandu to olympics, he would have bought a gold to India"

Seven years ago

[Inside the train, Nandu, Malli and Puri talking after Nandu boarded]

Nandu – “Tell me onething. Does your father know that you are going with Malli ?”
Puri – “No. He knows only that I am going with someone”
Nandu – “hmm..”
Malli - "Oh, you thinking that the commissioner will come after you, thinking you have eloped with Puri. Ha ha"
Puri turning to Malli - "Well. If I have encountered Nandu earlier than you, may be I would have eloped with him"
Blinking one of her eyes to Nandu - "Kill Malli. I can elope with you right away"
Nandu laughed. Puri and Malli too..
Then..