The Crimson Conspiracy

by David Singh

  The plan demanded that Karma should remain off public radar during the mission to make the news of his abduction work. He was going to stay in this luxurious, well equipped and self reliant place until Operation Crimson Crackdown was over. He had sent off entire staff on a long vacation and was stationed with three armed guards sworn to secrecy.

  'I have seen the news Colonel.' Karma said, 'I am sorry to learn about your men but the question is what to do now? What do you suggest since it was your plan and now it has failed?'

  Mohan and Sathya had taken around quarter of an hour to extract Makker. Malwanker chose to stay back and return to his hideout since all his stuff was there. First fatal volley of heavy fire power from Nelcopter had wiped out half of Majumdar's men. Remaining retreated back into the jungle instantly realising the gravity of the situation. Makker had been under medical supervision while Mohan and Sathya were accompanying Vir Bhadra Singh in the meeting with Karma.

  The mission headquarter from Raipur was scraped. There was no proof remaining that any such thing ever existed in Hotel VW Canyon.

  'Killer's GPS in his thigh was not moving from its last position until the explosion. After explosion it went off. We have also lost track of our other man, Retriever, in the same way. It's difficult to hope that they are alive but, knowing my boys, I can't believe until I see their dead bodies with my own eyes. Let us consider two aspects. One, they both are dead. Then there is nothing we can do. If they are alive then Majumdar will soon contact with his demands…'

  '….which we already know. Peace talks initiative and releasing their men.' Karma intervened.

  'Yes.' Vir Bhadra Singh said. 'Now Mr. Karma, what will your government do in that case?'

  'We will follow our policy of zero tolerance against terrorism.' Karma replied instantly.

  Vir Bhadra Singh asked in a grim voice. 'What about my boys?'

  'Look Colonel. I have already said that whatever happened has been really unfortunate but for some expendables we cannot negotiate with the militants. And you had come to us with this plan taking all responsibility. If the pressure was not from Central Home Ministry, Defence and NSA office, I was not approving of this foolish mission.'

  'Mr. Karma.' Vir Bhadra Singh somehow managed to control his rage and said in a calm voice, 'they must still be mistaking Killer for you. They will try to negotiate. Then we can have another chance….'

  Karma held out is right hand, his habitual gesture to interrupt the other person, and said, 'hold on Colonel. Let me clear this. No more plans now. I had given you that ex Salwa Judum Raju and his troop plus you had five specially trained commandos whom you had boasted about earlier. You yourself had committed that your men were enough to pull this mission off. See! What happened?'

  'That means you will let my two precious men die a painful death of horrible torture?'

  'This comes with the package Colonel. We all know this. You have joined army knowing the possible threat of life. Almost daily our soldiers die on LoC. Do they resign and get back to home? No. My father was killed by Majumdar, still I am serving the state, the country.'

  'So what will you do when they contact with demand list?' 'We will issue the statement revealing the failed plan of Majumdar's capture and will ask the Naxals to f**k off.'

  'So that they discover the identity of my man and kill him

  instantly. You are more concerned regarding your revenge. You hardly have any interest in the peace talks.' 'Peace talk is their defensive strategy. Now they know that they are losing their foothold on the people there so they propose the peace talks. My government will ask them to surrender first and then we shall think about peace talks. And for their men, they are demanding to be released, court will sentence them with death penalty.'

  'The verdict which even the court has not decided yet, you seem to know beforehand.' 'I know what you are thinking Colonel. You are thinking that I am not doing anything for your men but I cannot put entire state on stake for just two people.'

  'Mr. Karma, you cannot do anything for my men anyway.' Vir Bhadra Singh's voice caught a faint edge of ice, 'all I am asking is to give us one more chance. Let them think they have got you instead of our man. When they put up their demand, let us go in and try once more.'

  'I cannot let four enemies of the state escape scot free. A few men are no match against several hundred armed Naxals. Our entire police force is fighting a war with them for years. I did an experiment with you Colonel and that's failed. Now, let the law take its stand.'

  'I suggest you ask them to release my boys in return of peace talks.' 'I don't want any peace talks with them. I am waiting for them to contact us. They surrender and then we shall consider.'

  'And my boys are just expendables.'

  'I didn't know Colonel that a veteran like you could be such an emotional fool.'

  Vir Bhadra Singh stood up. 'RK!' He spoke dropping all protocols, 'this is the last time we are now seeing each other.'

  Vir Bhadra Singh turned and moved towards the door with Mohan and Sathya in tow.

  'Colonel.' Karma called from behind, 'the only thing I can say is I feel sorry for whatever happened.'

  Vir Bhadra Singh turned and replied, 'don't feel sorry RK, for you don't deserve to be sorry for the brave hearts my boys are. I tell you when you should feel really sorry. Pray that my boys are dead because if they are not I will get them back. Then even a scratch I see on them, I will come back one last time… And… Burn… You… Alive.'

  Rajshwar Karma's face turned dark with rage. 'Colonel! You are speaking too much than you should. No one has ever dared talk to me like this. I can have you and your men arrested for this.'

  'RK, boy, you have no idea who we are.' Vir Bhadra Singh spoke through clenched teeth, 'I can bury you alive here and everyone would think that you are in Naxal's hands.'

  'And as far as arrest is concerned neta ji.' Mohan added, 'you will go insane proving that we are involved. We are ghosts. We exist in some other place in some other time.'

  'Just one scratch on Killer and Retriever and you are a dead man RK.' Sathya completed.

  The trio stomped out leaving Rajeshwar Karma standing in the middle of the ornate drawing hall, shaking with rage.

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  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

  February 16, 2014

  Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh

  'We had snatched it months ago from the police force.' Majumdar was saying, 'This truck is very robust and perfect place to hold you.'

  Seeing the man not responding in any way he continued, 'you are breathing because you saved my life. The iron chair you had kept over me saved me from getting crushed down below the heavy bricks.'

  Majumdar had several cuts and bruises on his face and hands. There was a thick dressing over his head, one on the back going round his left shoulder and his right hand was in a sling. He was sitting on a folding cot inside an empty armoured truck. Samarjeet was lying on a mattress on the floor of the truck, his one hand and leg chained with the iron body of the truck. His head was covered with a dressing and his left hand had a small patch of cotton wad on the palm. He was wearing only his combat lower and cotton vest. His body armour could not prevent his crush down below the roof but the cement sacks had come in the way. Armour, however, could not save him from nicks and bruises. Venu was killed by Samarjeet's bullet.

  'Where is RK?' He asked in a steady voice.

  'RK?' Majumdar laughed, 'he is safe. Don't worry about him.' Puzzled by Majumdar's laugh, Samarjeet asked, 'why did you save me?'

  'This, I should ask you.' Majumdar replied, 'If you have been sent to kill me….and…..your man penetrated us under cover as RK then why did you save my life?'

  Bloody hell! Gangwar is in their control now. Samarjeet's mind began thinking swiftly. Apparently He replied, shaking his head in desperation, 'now you know…..but….we didn't come to kill you. We were to capture you alive.'

  'Then why did you take Rajanna's help?'

  'Rajanna?' This was Samarjeet's t
urn to get the lightening jolt. 'Your Raju Bopanna is Bapu Rajanna. He is no ex Salwa Judum.

  He had fooled you people.'

  'Raju Bopanna. Bapu Rajanna.' Samarjeet saw the mix up in the

  name, 'why didn't we notice earlier?'

  'Because he has told you his full name which is not very popular.

  Chandra Pulla Rajanna. But we always knew him by his nickname

  Bapu.'

  Samarjeet immersed in deep thought. After a long pause he

  spoke, 'is this true that PWG and PGA are one?'

  'Not at all. When Rajanna killed Maheshwar Karma I expelled

  him. PWG has nothing to do with PGA. We do not draw the first

  blood. We retaliate when there is injustice. Rajanna wants to rule this

  area. He had planned to kill me. Venu, that girl you shot dead was his

  mole in our group.'

  Samarjeet recalled the partial conversation between Majumdar

  and Venu he had overheard in the basement.

  'Where is Rajanna now?' He asked.

  'He escaped from my men. They are searching for him, but RK

  must know where he is hiding. He will definitely contact RK.' 'How do you know?'

  'This is quite obvious. Rajanna is Karma's puppet otherwise who

  else could tell him about your mission?'

  'What do you want from me?'

  'I have nothing against you. I have always been fighting for

  justice. I have no intention to harm your man too. You get me Rajanna

  and RK and take your man away.'

  'You think I can do this?'

  'You have to do this. You must be knowing RK's hideout. Ask him

  where Rajanna is hiding. Take that rat out. But….but….' Majumdar's

  face wore a cruel smile, 'you play smart and I will kill you and your

  friend.'

  'I want to see him.' Samarjeet demanded.

  'Sure, you will. He is all right. We have not even touched him.' They took him in one of the huts around. Gangwar was foot

  cuffed to an iron rail, blinded with a hood and hands tied behind. On

  Majumdar's signal, one man freed Gangwar. Both the men clasped

  each other in tight embrace.

  Samarjeet, thinking of Gangwar's fiancée Ritu, said louder

  enough for everyone to listen, 'I will do as you say Majumdar….

  but…if anything happens to my friend I will turn this jungle into

  cremation ground.'

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  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  February 17, 2014

  Labhandi Village, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

  The video clip was a low resolution 3GP format shot with a mediocre quality cell phone but still it was clear enough to recognise the man sitting, bound and gagged, on the chair. He was Rajeshwar Karma. Next to him, in another chair was sitting Raghav. The volume of his voice was low but audible despite the faint noise - result of the lack of soundproof recording in a hut by amateurs.

  In the background were standing a few armed Naxals. 'Our message is loud and clear.' Raghav was saying, 'we need the state to allow our representative to come and talk to you. This is first time we are not demanding anyone from your side to come to us and talk. We offer you the proposal of initiating the peace talks. PWG, like always, does not want violence. We have RK for our security. We promise him no harm if all our demands are heard and met which is not a difficult task for you. We have access to radio only so we will wait for your reply at Radio Tadka programme for another three days. If it is a yes we shall send the demands otherwise, RK in a polythene bag.' Video turned into the white sound for a moment and then stopped.

  Almost all the news channels were running it since morning. At 3 AM, two masked men had thrown away some small memory cards on the table of the district news paper distribution office in Narayanpur saying, 'breaking news about Rajeshwar Karma.' Within two hours it was running on all the major local and national news channels shaking up entire nation.

  Samarjeet switched off the television and turned his attention towards Rajeshwar Karma. 'In the video, you know, is my mate.' He had bound and gagged Karma and hung him upside down with the ceiling.

  Only Karma's popping eyes were capable of expressing the mixed boil of rage and terror.

  Raghav and Sukma had accompanied Samarjeet to keep an eye on him. Both were in proper disguise. Samarjeet regarded the pathetic condition Karma was in and continued. 'I am removing your gag RK. No need to waste your energy in screaming for help. You know your party hall above is sound proof and there is no one closer enough to hear anything.'

  Samarjeet yanked off the duct tape from Karma's mouth and removed the piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth.

  Karma coughed hoarsely. His chest heaved violently drawing enough oxygen to settle his breath, then he spoke in a hysteric tone. 'Please put me down. I have high BP problem. I will die. Please, please!'

  Samarjeet stood up and dispatched a heavy, full swing slap on Karma's face. 'RK, I do the talking you will just agree and obey.' Karma sneezed blood, coughed hard and cried in pain.

  Another slap. 'You didn't say yes.'

  Karma nodded his head in affirmative, violently. Another slap, 'say it you bastard!'

  'Yes….yeees…..yeeesssss.'

  Samarjeet picked up the glass filled with water from the working table and turned it over Karma's face. Karma chocked and gasped and coughed all together.

  'I have got you so that I can bargain for my friend with Majumdar in your return.' Samarjeet spoke passively, 'and, you know, he will be happy enough to have real RK. Imagine what they will do to you then.'

  Karma looked at him, with his inverted eyes, in horror. 'You are the missing commando. You didn't die. You can't do this only for your friend. What are your real intentions?'

  'Good. That shows you are paying attention. You give me Rajanna and I promise you will stay alive.'

  'Rajanna? Who Rajanna? What are…'

  Samarjeet picked the chair up and slammed it into Karma's ribs. Karma screamed like a boar being slaughtered and passed out.

  Early morning Samarjeet, Raghav and Sukma were dropped by Majumdar's men on the highway. From there, reaching Karma's farm house in Labhandi village was a truck ride. Gangwar had already explained Samarjeet the layout of the place. They broke in through mango orchard. Overpowering and disabling the guards took just two-three minutes. He dumped the guards, bound and gagged, on the upper floor of the main building before catching hold of unsuspecting Karma. Guards could see through the window, helplessly, that two Naxals were abducting Karma in his own car. As Samarjeet had allowed in his plan, guards soon got themselves free and informed their superior. Very discreetly a small investigation team came, looked around for any evidences, took guards' statements, sealed the place and went off. Entire exercise took little more than one hour.

  Meanwhile, Samarjeet and Raghav had abandoned Karma's car on road and changed into another pre-arranged old car. They came back to the sealed and unattended farm house, re-entered through the mango orchard, waited there for farm house to be left sealed and made basement of party hall, their interrogation room and Karma's prison cell. When Karma came round, he found himself tied with another chair. He gasped with intermittent shallow breath and cried with agony. 'My ribs are broken.'

  'Shut up. They are only aching of swelling.' Samarjeet said, 'you told Vir Bhadra Singh that while investigating cases of injustice in red corridor, you stumbled upon an ex salwa judum Raju Bopanna. Now I know he is PGA's chief Rajanna. How could you contrive with the murderer of your own father?'

  'Murderer of my father? Rajanna? No, my father was killed by Bhanu Majumdar.'

  'No. This Rajanna has made a fool of everyone. He is your father's murderer. Majumdar expelled him from the group and broke all the ties with PGA. Then – stop me if I'm wrong – being aware of your popular enmity against Majumdar, he contacted you and proposed that if he kills Majumdar then entire area rich in natu
ral resources will be in his hands and your control. You liked that idea. Majumdar was planning your abduction. Incidentally we got the information and as a remarkable turn of your luck, Vir Bhadra Singh approached you with the plan of Operation Crimson Crackdown. You beautifully tagged Rajanna with us to ensure total riddance from all the obstacles. But your luck had one black thread: Majumdar had identified RAW's informer in his group, still he couldn't unearth the whole plan. He didn't know that Gangwar will be in your disguise. Now tell me where is Rajanna?'

  Karma remained silent for several moments then said, 'why should I believe you that he killed my father?'

  'Watch this.' Samarjeet showed him the video clip shot by Malwanker. The quality was just workable since back in the jungle Samarjeet had no means to copy the video so he had video-shot it directly from Malwanker's digital tab's screen.

  Karma intently watched the clip without blinking his eyes.

  Majumdar was saying, 'People's War Group has nothing to do with People's Guerilla Army. PWG's ideology is not violence unless defence is inevitable. If they push us in a corner, we shall retaliate but like PGA does, our path is not violence but empowerment by development and governance………'

  'This is Majumdar?' Karma was incredulous.

  'Who else do you think?'

  'I can tell you where is Rajanna on one condition…..'

  'There is only one condition RK, you tell me and live or…..'

  Karma didn't hear him, '…..you kill the bastard and avenge my father.'

  'What do you think, I am going to invite him for tea party?'

  'Hashima mines.' Finally Karma said, 'Rajanna is hiding in Hashima mines.'

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