Unwitting Triumph: A Mystery

Riyah: “Hey!!! Don’t get closer to him. We don’t know who he is.
Meera: “What are you talking Riyah!!! Don’t panic. This is our home and we are responsible for
this. I will go and check who he is.” (Meera gets closer and stands frozen)
Riyah: “What has happened, Meera? Speak up. Why are you frozen like statue?” (She shakes
her firmly so as to make her to come out of the shock)
Meera: “Our Friend is dead.”
“I’m Meera. I’m a normal Indian girl. I am reluctant to stay long with computers and
official works, a kind of lazy girl. I have three best friends namely Riyah, Varsha and Amirtha.
We all work together in a US based HMH Software Company in Mumbai. We, except Varsha,
stay together in a rented house in Malviya Nagar, 75-9
th cross, Mumbai. Varsha attends company
staying in her uncle’s home. My friend Riyah is tall and fair in complexion. She is traditional.
She is a reserved girl and speaks less in public. She wants everything to be kept in order. She
rarely reveals her true identity to public. She is neither sensitive nor liberal.”
Varsha’s character is polar opposite to Riyah. She is straight forward and short tempered.
She wishes to top her work always. Never compromises with anyone and stays adamant. She is a
task master. Her strict disciplinarian attitude makes her angry for silly reasons. She never allows
anybody to cross the boundary she has designed her life with.
Amirtha, unlike others, is stylish, loves to wear modern. She speaks louder. She is an
athletic and has received various prizes. She is from a single parent family. As she is brought up
by her father, the manly qualities of being Brave girl has become her inborn nature. She plays
tennis and reads books. She is multi-tasking, brave and helps the needy. She practices her
father’s word that ‘helping others is the best one to help ourselves’. Her friends tribute her
calling her Iron lady of the company.
The four friends stay for each other despite their different personal traits. They never let
anybody to humiliate their bond or to criticize them.
HMH Software Solutions, JUNE 26th, 2021.
There are 86 working members in total in the branch and the outstanding 20 performers
are shortlisted. Only one from the top 20 performers will be elected for the next CEO post.
Everyone assumes either Abimanyu or Varsha to be in the first place and Jennifer to be in the
second place.
Meera, Riyah and Amirtha go to the office earlier than usual. They reach the office at
6.44 am. Varsha hugs and greets all the three close buddies. Riyah whispers in the ears of Varsha
that she will be the next CEO. (Her curiosity reveals that she would shout and dance in joy at
MD’s announcement of Varsha as the next CEO). Varsha nods at her approvingly. Amirtha and
Meera are standing like soldiers to lift Varsha at her victory. All workers are anticipating for the
arrival of Abimanyu who has not turned up to office yet.
MD arrives at 8.30 am and announces the next CEO: “The New CEO of our Company is
K.Varsha.” He conveys his regards and compliments to her and takes his leave. All working
members, irrespective of the different departments, whishes Varsha. Though the crowd applauds
at Varsha’s victory, there is a murmuring sound that questions why Abimanyu has not turned up
so far. They wonder if the news of Varsha becoming the next CEO has been leaked to Abimanyu
in advance which has prevented him from coming. No speculation stops the friends of Varsha,
they mount her in joy and celebrate her victory as theirs that lasts till 8pm. They are towards
home around 8.15 pm. When they walk towards the main door, they are shocked as it is left
open. As soon as they step inside, they find a man lying on the floor. Scared at the unexpected
happenings of the house, they rush out of the hall. As the man seems familiar, Meera hurries to
check if he needs first aid and is frozen as she finds her friend is dead.
Amirtha and Riya wail shockingly: “Oh God!!! It’s Abi! It’s Abi…!”
Abimanyu is dead. Wounds are found in his neck and arms. They examine him closely
and find a ring in his shirt collar that resembles the rings worn by all the four friends. They check
if they have the ring at present. Amirtha, Riyah and Meera has the ring in their hands. They want
to ask if Varsha has the ring and link her with the murder. Everyone agrees to hide the ring and
inform police. Police arrive and start investigation with a severe blow at the chin of Amirtha and
Riyah since they seem much disturbed at Abi’s death. Lady police are brought to begin a careful
investigation and to examine the house thoroughly. They collect finger prints of all the girls, and
check their cloths and probed into all the things of the entire house. Their investigation lasts till
11pm and the house is kept in complete surveillance. Further, the girls are asked not to go
outside the city till the autopsy results arrive and the investigation is over. Nodding, they realize
that the police has got complete suspicion on the three of them. They call Varsha to come home.
Varsha rushes shockingly to the spot. The first thing the three of them noticed is the ring that is
missing from Varsha’s finger and Riyah asks her where her ring is.
“I missed it last day. I searched it everywhere but could find it nowhere.” said Varsha.
The three of them look at her disapprovingly.
They show the ring that is collected from Abimanyu’s shirt collar. Varsha understands
their suspension. All her attempts to explain her innocence end in vain. She persuades them to
listen to her relating the time when the ring is found missing and the time of the execution of the
brutal murder. The three girls pose innumerable asking her to explain the reason why she has
murdered him.
Amrita says, “We just saw the ring there. How is this possible? Speak up, Varsha! Why
did you kill him?”
Varsha shouts angrily. “Think about the time!!! I reached our office while you were at
home in the morning but he must have been murdered when you are not at home. I was with you
all day long. How do you think that I could have done this!!!”
Riyah told Varsha: “It looks like someone did it on purpose. No traces other than your
ring is found and we have hidden the ring from police. If we don’t find the murderer, we should
confess to the police about the ring.” They decide to stay with Varsha for couple of days or till
the case investigation is over.
It is the next day, June 27. The four of them go to the office to check CCTV on request
to ensure if Varsha has the ring during her entry to the office. The CCTV surveillance covers
dining area, corridor, office rooms etc. It confirms that Varsha has the ring at her finger during
her time at office till noon and is found missing only after 12:20pm. She has the ring while
getting inside the company but is lost while coming out of the office. They accept that Varsha is
not the guilt.
“All the evidences are useless! Police is going to finalize that we three are guilty.” says
Riyah.
“We have time till tomorrow, we can find out the culprit somehow. Don’t worry, Riyah.”
Says Varsha.
On their way home from the office, they think out of box until 7pm and get no idea. An
hour later at 8pm, Meera picks up her car without telling anyone and drives to the office. She
checks the CCTV camera kept at the parking entrance. She suspects that someone may have
stolen the ring to entrap Varsha in the murder. Meera watches CCTV from 12.30 pm to 12.45
pm. A stranger comes out and smokes. He gets in immediately after smoking. It is 1.15pm
someone’s car comes out very fast. Meera is shocked to see Amrita’s car coming out. Her car
swiftly moves out from the parking area. The four of them share everything each other but
Amirtha has hidden her going out that day. This kindles Meera’s anger and suspicion. She learns
that everyone has secrets including her confidant, Amirtha. She returns home at 10pm with a
little understanding of the people around her. The three pose innumerable questions at her return
but Meera keeps silence for long. Finally she responds: “Why did you do this, Amirtha?”
Amrita becomes a little nervous and says, “Meera, I do not understand what you mean.”
Meera shouts, “Why did you kill Abhimanyu and betray us? Do you want to kill all of
us?” Amrita keeps silence and understands that her guilt is revealed shouts angrily, “Yes, I killed
him … I killed him with my own hands.” Varsha, Meera and Riya look at her in shock.
Amrita confesses with tears rolling down her cheeks, “I was in love with Abimanyu for
two years. I proposed him ten days ago and was waiting for his acceptance but he declined on
June 25th
. Abhimanyu said, “Listen Amirtha, I am not in love with you. I love your friend
Varsha. I just like the way she is.” I fought with him but he concluded saying “Varsha is my only
girlfriend. I like her more than you and you love me. I will propose her in a week.” Instead of
accepting my love he convinced me to help him to propose Varsha. The grief that I was not in his
life and the anger that he was going to be someone else’s lover and husband made me act cruelly.
I could not control my anger. I strangled him with my dupatta, then decided to trick Varsha to be
the culprit. I stole her ring to implicate her as a murderer and put an end to her life also. I thought
I could throw him at Varsha’s home to divert the case, but I hid him in my car as her uncle was
at home. Finally threw his body in the rented home and placed Varsha’s ring on him thinking
that police will start investigation based on the ring.”
The three of them pity for her unwitting triumph. There is complete silence for a minute
or two.
Amirtha breaks the silence and says, “I just did it. Let me be punished.” Varsha wishes it
to be a dream. Riyah advises that when one door closes another opens. Meera tells Amrita that
no blood of Jesus and mercy of Allah and Siva will help her unless and otherwise she is punished
for it. Promising that she will surrender herself to police, Amirtha moves out. After the
investigation and collection of evidences, she is imprisoned for 5 years. Her friends visit her at
every two days interval.
After a fortnight Riyah gets a call from an SI.
The SI from Mumbai local Police station informs Riyah that Amirtha has committed suicide
early that morning. He asks the girls to report the station immediately. Riyah trembles in shock.
The girls arrive at the station even before the arrival of autopsy report. Amirtha has lost eternal
happiness for temporary pleasure. She is given punishment just to recover from her guilt and
start loving life. She fails to understand that both murder and suicide is sin against god and
legislation.
Understanding is more important than falling in love to lead a productive life. If one
wants to go, just let him/her go. Create good thoughts for such person and bless him. Force not
anybody to show love. The world is waiting for you.