Forest Avenue Murder

By Indu Varma

A gripping fast paced crime thriller — a murder mystery blended with courtroom drama.

A young woman is brutally stabbed and left to die in Suburban Mumbai. A passerby rushes to save her but she succumbs. He is charged with her murder.

The story is his struggle with law and order machinery to prove his innocence and find the real killer.

Find out in this suspense packed novel … Will he get justice? Will the real killer be caught?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Indu Varma
• Release date: Sep 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215375198

Indu Varma

After taking a Master’s degree in Law from Chicago, She began her legal practice in US and India. In over two decades in the profession, she has represented both victims and accused in a host of criminal cases. She was born in Kochi, spent some years in Goa before moving to Mumbai and then to New York City.  "I love beaches with their balmy sun, shimmering sand and endless sea. I enjoy travelling. I am hooked on to music and am a committed organic farmer. But most of all, I am passionate about writing stories." - Indu Varma

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

It was the 10th of April, 7pm. Hemant Kashyap stepped out to meet a friend a few blocks away from his home. It was evening rush hour at Powai, a highly sought-after suburb of Mumbai, with fancy malls and eateries. Its natural verdure added to its allure. Central Avenue, Powai, was packed with vehicles.

He walked past the taxi stand and crossed the road to Haagen Dazs ice cream parlour. Rakesh was already seated inside. He pulled a chair for Hemant as he walked in. They went to school together and remained friends ever since. Both were tall; Hemant nearing six feet and Rakesh an inch shorter, with a boyish face. They were both in their early thirties.

They had not met in months. Rakesh slid the menu over the table to Hemant. What will you have? I am in the mood for some waffle ice cream.

Not a bad choice. I think I will have the same.

It was Friday evening. They decided to skip noisy bars and chose this quiet ice cream parlour for a relaxed rendezvous.

Finally, we meet! What have you been doing with yourself? asked Rakesh. I remember the times when we met at least once a week. Now both are short of time.

Hemant worked in a bank and Rakesh in a management consultancy firm. Both lived with their doting parents and briefly discussed them, among other things. The conversation meandered between work and relationships.

My parents want me to get married, said Hemant. How is your relationship maturing with the girl you introduced me to?

Vaani and I split. It was merely a fling. Nothing serious. She got bored of me I think, said Rakesh.

Who is the new person in your life? asked Hemant.

I don’t have any. I am taking a break from everything and going on a road trip. Not backpacking, said Rakesh. Would you like to join me? he asked Hemant who had no time to spare for leisure.

They talked about work and travel without being aware of the time and it was only when Rakesh got a text message that he glanced at the watch. It is nearing 11:30pm. I need to get back home. That was my mother.

Let’s leave, said Hemant. "I too need to be back home before midnight. I am not working tomorrow and intend to sleep till late.

Where did you park your car? asked Hemant.

At Forest Avenue. Near the park.

Then we can walk together.

I think you should head home. It is already too late. I do not intend to waste any more time here.

Hemant thought this was very odd. Why did Rakesh not want to go along with him? At 11:30pm, Rakesh left the ice cream parlour. Hemant visited the nearest HDFC Bank ATM at Central Avenue on his way home. He checked the time as he left the booth. It was 11:45pm.

It was a moonlit night. The streetlights did little to mar the beauty the moonbeams cast on the nearly deserted street. There was a strange quietness, unusual for that time of the night as Hemant walked down Forest Avenue. He routinely took this short walk home a few hundred yards away. He was thinking about the pleasant evening at the parlour and Rakesh’s road trip, when he paused. Had he heard something? He moved on dismissing what he thought was his imagination. He walked a few more steps and paused again. He strained his ears. There surely was some unexplained sound so faint that it was almost inaudible. He was involuntarily drawn to it.  It came from an alley to his left that he knew was a dead end. As he moved closer, it seemed to him that it was a feeble cry. The place was an abandoned construction site. Streetlights did not reach the alley. He followed the sound. He walked deeper into the inky darkness and saw the silhouette of a human form stretched on the ground. He inched closer. It was a woman. He could discern even in the dim light that she was badly injured and covered with blood. She was bleeding profusely. She kept calling for help as her strength ebbed. He rushed to her side, bent down to help her and cradled her head in his arms when her face came into view. It was Vaani.

Hemant tried to pick her up and carry her to the hospital. She proved too heavy, and he had to place her back on the ground gently. He asked her who did this to her. She was too far gone to answer. It was apparent she was losing the feeble thread of life. She needed help desperately and it had to come soon.

His hands and clothes were soaked in her blood. As he turned around, he saw a man standing a little distance away on the road, watching him and talking on the mobile phone.

He called out to him for help. He did not come any closer but chose to walk away. Hemant shouted out to him to call the police because a woman lay badly injured in the alley. He did not know what the man’s intensions were, but hoped he would fetch help.

Hemant was in a dilemma. Should he leave her there in this condition and go for help or wait near her for help to arrive. He kept a look out for passersby. He checked his pockets for the mobile to call the police and found to his annoyance that he had left it at home. 

At that hour, chances of anyone passing by was remote. He knew he could not carry her to the main street in that condition and take her to a hospital even if some form of transport came along. He was frustrated at his utter helplessness. He went back to where Vaani lay. She had stopped moaning and was gasping for breath. There was no time to lose. He walked briskly to the main road to find someone or wake up the residents in the colony nearby where he lived.

He had hardly reached the road when he saw a man leading two police officers on a motorcycle to the alley. It was the same man he had called for help. Hemant saw the man point him out to the officers and say something.

He was relieved that help was at hand, but it was short lived. He was taken aback when one of the officers on the motorcycle ordered him to stop. Stay where you are, he shouted. Show your hands. As he dismounted, Hemant told him there was a severely injured woman lying in the alley. She needs urgent medical help. Even as I speak, she is losing consciousness. He was in a panic. He began to walk back to show them where the woman lay. The policeman’s order did not register in his agitated brain as the only thing that mattered to him at that moment was to save Vaani’s life. The officers thought he was trying to escape and one of them caught hold of his T-shirt. Hemant was stunned. He never had anything to do with law enforcement agencies. He had not even been booked for a traffic offense. He bristled at the gesture and demanded to know on what authority they restrained him when they ought to attend to the injured lady.

Raise your hands and hold your head. What did you do to the woman? asked one of the officers who frisked him. It took a while for the monstrous insinuation to sink in. I did what? he shouted at the policeman.

The other officer went into the alley and found Vaani motionless in a pool of blood on the ground. He notified the police station on his wireless set and asked them to arrange an ambulance. He took a closer look at the supine figure and saw she had been stabbed repeatedly.

He walked back to Hemant. Who is that woman? What were you two doing here this late in the night? he asked. Hemant tried to loosen the hold on his T-shirt, but the policeman tightened his grip. I heard a cry for help and was only trying to take her to a hospital. She was too heavy for me to carry on my own and I sought help from the man who brought you here, as he was the only person in the vicinity.

Two more people joined the man who called the police and they entertained themselves watching the proceedings. Hemant asked the man to narrate what he saw. You were here. You saw me trying to help her. Tell them. Tell the policemen what really happened. The man whispered something to one of the onlookers, but did not respond.

Hemant told the policemen that he was on the way home after meeting a friend when he heard a cry for help. He followed the voice and found the woman lying injured. I asked her who did this to her, but she did not answer. I tried to lift her up but could not. I wanted to rush her to a hospital, he said. When I turned around, I saw this man and asked him to get help. 

The officer turned to the man. Hey you! Come here. What is your name?

Sakharam.

What did you see?

I saw a man trying to lift the woman and then lay her back on the ground. He shouted something from there, but I could not hear him well. I thought it better to move off.

Was it him that you saw? asked the officer pointing to Hemant.

I think it was. There was not much light.

The police squad arrived. Inspector Kawale was the investigating officer. He walked up to the motionless body, She appears to be dead, he said. He inspected the body closely. Get an inquest done and find out if anyone witnessed anything. He asked the constables with him to search the perimeter of the crime scene.

Crowds gathered. The police placed a barricade to stop them from crossing over to the crime scene.

Inspector Kawale turned his attention to Hemant, What were you doing here at this time of the night? Did you do this to her?

Hemant’s faculties were partially numb. But he realized, even in this condition, that his statements were being twisted and it was best not to divulge anything further. He decided not to say he knew Vaani. That was the safest course to take. The manner of police questioning convinced him that any such admission would compound their suspicion of his complicity. He felt it would make little difference to the police that he had met her only once with Rakesh and that too for a few minutes. The police were sure to disbelieve him. He became increasingly convinced that he was the first suspect on their list. A thought flashed through his mind. Did Rakesh leave early to meet Vaani?

CHAPTER 2

It was past midnight. Humidity was at the peak. Hemant was sweating profusely. He wiped the sweat off his face and became aware of Vaani’s blood on his hands and clothes. This was what the inspector was looking at, he told himself.

Inspector Kawale started questioning him. Hemant’s statements did not convince the inspector. I live close by. I stay in the block of flats you can see from here. Hemant told him. You can check with my parents. I was out to meet a friend at the ice cream parlour in Central Avenue and was walking home when I came across this woman. I have already explained everything to the officers who came first. If there is nothing more, I would like to go home now.

We are in the middle of an investigation and there is a witness who saw you lay down the victim on the ground. How did you get blood on your T-shirt and pants? Your hands too are covered in blood.

"I was trying to lift her up to take her to the nearest hospital or the main road from where I could get some transport.

When I could not lift her on my own, I placed her in the same position before seeking help, said Hemant.

Do you expect us to believe that you were trying to lift the injured woman and walk to the nearest hospital more than twenty minutes from here? asked the inspector incredulously.

He then ordered his junior officers to detain Hemant for questioning at the station. Hemant demanded to know the basis on which he was being detained. The officers did not bother to answer him.

Just then, a junior officer in his mid-twenties noticed that Hemant was listening to their conversation and pulled him away, walking him to the police van. He gripped Hemant’s hand to prevent him from escaping. He asked a visibly tired Hemant, Why did you not call us when you found the victim?

I left my mobile phone at home, he said.

Even a vagrant carries a phone with him these days.

Hemant told the policeman, You don’t have to keep holding me. I am not going to run away, or I would have done that long ago.

It was becoming clear that in the eyes of the police he had something to do with the crime. 

The ambulance arrived with the medical examiner. He declared Vaani dead and marked the body for postmortem. Inspector Kawale prepared the inquest panchnama to record the nature of the wounds and visible injuries on the body before it was taken to the ambulance.

The document stated that the deceased, a young woman, was found in a supine position. She had visible stab injuries to her chest and abdomen. There were signs of a struggle with bruises on her hand and neck; the right palm had a gash. There was also blunt force injury