“I WANT TO MOTHER YOU!”—A SHORT STORY! -------PART TWO

Story So Far. Refer to Link:http://rajee.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/08/i-want-to-mother-you-a-short-story-part-one.htm

As Rajneesh was sitting in the departure lounge of the domestic terminal of Chennai air port after the security check-in, the names of Hashim Ali, Madurai, Chennai, Dubai, Hafeez, Sakeena and the ‘Dubai Times’ report of 23 July 2003, were, time and again, springing up in his mind in a disconcerted manner. He was desperately trying to connect the wires and get a complete picture. It was only in July 2006, he had left that organization. James had left in May 2003. It was James who handled that Operation ‘Games of the Foxes’ before he left the organization. A guy by the name of Hashim Ali was codenamed ‘FOX’ in this Operation. He was working, as a cover, with an oil company. He directly reported to James till he left the organization in May 2003. They used to often meet in Chennai only. But , for some reasons, FOX had to be moved out of Dubai. He had bungled one of the operations, where he failed to execute the most wanted criminal of India, who was living in Dubai under an alias. Some suspected that FOX had tipped of the guy himself before he carried out the failed operation. Amidst reports in April 2002, that he was working for ISI of Pakistan and was double crossing Rajneesh’s outfit, he was ordered to be extricated and terminated. The CHARMER of FOX was given this task and it was confirmed by the CHARMER to James, who had protested this and after the incident he left in May 2003. Thereafter, Rajneesh had never bothered to know about the case. May be, he no more considered its necessity.

Rajneesh now wondered if he was the same ‘Hashim Ali’ who was codenamed ‘FOX’ by his former organization? “So what”, he thought? “Didn’t ‘FOX’ directly report to him for some time”, he counter questioned himself? But he had a nagging doubt because as for as he recollected HASHIM was not a PETROLEUM ENGINEER and nor did he belong to Madurai. He had been recruited from Chennai in 1998. Oh yea! Wasn’t it James who had recruited him? So, was James hiding something from him? Do the wires connect to Chennai? Is it the key? Why did James bundle him out in a hurry from Chennai? Suddenly then, there was announcement for the Mumbai-bound passengers to move from ‘Gate No-3 ‘for boarding their flight. Rajneesh reluctantly got up and gave a one final look towards the city of Chennai. And he was on his way to the waiting passenger ferrying bus.

Jet Airways flight to Mumbai took off exactly as per schedule. Rajneesh had settled down in his seat next to the window. He looked at the city below. The city of Chennai, spread over an area of 181 square Kms (70 sq miles), had a rich history about itself. It was established in the 17th Century by the British and in 350 years or so it had come up as a big urban centre in the South. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal on the Eastern Coast of peninsular India. Till, the IT boom came, it was the most happening city of South India and was rightly called “The gateway to South India”. However, over the last two decades, it had lost its position of pre-eminence to Bangalore. Even Hyderabad was threatening to relegate it further in order of importance but the fall of Chandra Prabhu Naidu government In Andhra Pradesh had restored the balance.

Its earlier name was Madras. In 1996, it was changed to Chennai. It is believed the name Madras had a Portuguese origin from the village of MADRASPATTINAM which was established by them around 16th century. This village was located North of the fort of St. George. The name of MADRAS was derived either from a village established by them by the name of Madre de Deus or from the Maderios family who had consecrated the ‘Madre de dues’ Church in Santhome in 1575 AD. The name Chennai had been derived from another village called CHENNAAPATTINAM, again located close to the fort of St. George. The British had named this village after they had acquired it in 1639 AD from the king of Chandigiri through his chieftain CHENAPPA NAYAKA. They named the village after him. While the British administration preferred to address the city as MADRAS, the local sentiments were with the name CHENNAI. This duality in its name was removed in 1996 when its name was changed in tunes with the local population.

Rajneesh realized Chennai was a vast city. It could easily hide in its womb anyone who wanted to lead a nondescript life like Sheela Devi, aka Sabeena alias Shanta. It had a large economic base ranging from automobile industry to health care to software and financial services. The Chennai City is the SECOND largest software exporter of India. It accounts for almost 11 percent of the income of Tamil Nadu. It had 30 percent of India’s automobile Industry and 35 percent of auto parts manufacturing Industry. It caters for 50 % of India’s Leather exports. The city had a literacy rate of 80 percent as against the national average of 64percent. The city acted as a magnet for employment seekers and they swarmed it, as daily transients of around five lakh people. It is not for nothing Chennai is also called “DETROIT OF SOUTH ASIA”.

Rajneesh once again surveyed the disappearing landscape of the city and was convinced that it could easily be a safe heaven for all those who wanted to establish sleeping modules for Al-Qaida, LTTE, SIMI , HM, LET and host of other ‘Violence Perpetrating Organizations’. Only thing the members of their module had to ensure was to lead a normal and decent life, seemingly, as law-abiding citizens. No one can suspect them. It had, of late, become a hub of recruitment centre and parking place of ‘silent agents’ by the intelligence agencies, both Indian and foreign. Rajneesh, too, had indulged in this exercise, when with NASH.

Even as head of one of the MUSK (Most Unique Serpent Killers) Units of NASH (National Agency for Secure Homeland), he had authorized operations to eliminate silent agents of TANO (Terrorist and Anti-National Organizations) operating from Chennai. Hardly anyone in India or outside knew of NASH and MUSK. Everyone thought all these intelligent games were played by RAW, which was merely an intelligence gathering arm of the government of India.

NASH was created after the assassination of Sh. Rajeev Gandhi, and MUSK was its sub-unit. Initially, it had got volunteers from Army and other paramilitary forces. Officers were all from the army. Rajneesh and James were from the same unit in the army. In fact Rajneesh was the commanding officer and James was a very senior company commander when they both came over to NASH. They were all trained as ruthless killers in the specially erected school at Indore—which later shifted to Belgaum in Karnataka. From 1995 onwards, they started direct recruitment, both officers and EXECUTIONERS. Everyone was specially picked, trained for three years. Till about 2000 AD married men could join the organization but later the rule changed and only bachelors were recruited both as officers and men. They were thoroughly regimented and brain washed to dispel all emotions and remain loyal to the nation. Their emotional disposition was almost negligible—they were the carbon copy of UNIVERSAL SODIERS of the movie by the same name. On the orders of their CHARMER (one who handled the executioner) they were to just do the task without any forethought. CHARMER is the designation of a person who handles and operates five EXECUTIONERS of the MUSK (MOST UNIQUE SERPANT KILLERS). Five such CHARMERS are under a BOSS. Ten BOSSES made a WING. Two wings, EXTERNAL and INTERNAL, made a MUSK unit. NASH had three MUSK Units. Rajneesh had commanded No 1 MUSK Unit and James was his deputy.

MUSK was the executing arm of NASH. It had a license to eliminate anyone who was considered operating against the interests of the country. Generally members of TANO were their targets. Its operations were EXCLUSIVELY TOP SECRET. The National Security Advisor (NSA) and only the Prime minister of India knew of its existence. The director of NASH reported directly to NSA. The permission for operations in the foreign land was given by NSA on approval from the Prime minister. However, the operations within the country were approved by the NASH Director but the permission was given by MUSK head. As a cover, it was part of the METEROLOGICAL department’s weather forecasting unit. No one could get the wind of its existence. The members of this organization were deeply motivated, die-hard Indians. They were required to execute even their own relatives if found indulging in anti-national activities.

Members were allowed to leave after 10 years service. After they left, they were helped to get top jobs in the civil career by the organization. However, they were life long members and could be re-mustered any time. They were on contract never to reveal anything to anyone. If found out they were to be quietly executed. The executive members of MUSK were not allowed to marry for ten years after recruitment. It was a ruthless force with its members as highly trained sharp shooters and One-shot-Killers (OSK). Each member had to pass this OSK test in a specific assignment by MUSK head. It was here in Chennai that Hashim Ali had passed this test in 1998, when he had eliminated his own uncle, Shiraj Ali, a South India head of ISI module. He was thereafter whisked away to Dubai as a silent MUSK member -in-wait for further assignments. He had belonged to Chennai. His family lived here. He frequently visited it and had his relevant contacts. Chennai was now on the mental screen of Rajneesh.

In 2008, economy of the town was booming after the software industry had made its mark in the world. A large crop of IT professionals had sprung up in the city. They were very very mobile people—coming and going, like the flashes on the digital camera screens, from all over the world. Thus, the silent agents could keep lying dormant here without detection. In 2001, out of the total population of around 4.5 million, the city had a migrant population of about 9, 37000. This was around 21.5 percent of the city population. Approximately, 25% of the migrant population was from outside the state and it ought to cause a serious concern to security experts and all those entrusted with the task of crime and violence prevention.

Rajneesh knew all these relevant facts about Chennai from his past experiences It was always on the surveillance screen of NASH and was regularly frequented by MUSK Executioners and Charmers in search of their potential targets. Since 1991, Chennai had been recognized as a safe heaven for the silent operatives of TANO, who used to slip into the city after a major strike elsewhere and lie doggo here for sometimes. Rajneesh always wondered why there were no communal riots in Chennai despite a sizeable population of minority communities? Why was it an exception while Hyderabad and Bangalore did burn, in communal fires, occasionally? Was it the TANO managed peace and harmony, he had wondered? But currently, he was concentrating hard on HASHIM ALI & JAMES connection of Chennai? What was it?

According to Rajneesh’s fading memory , in the Operation ‘GAME OF THE FOXES’ , the last operation handled by James before he prematurely left the job voluntarily, he had claimed that the ‘FOX’ or so called HASHIM ALI was successfully extradited from Dubai to India. Then who was that Hashim Ali whose death was reported by DUBAI TIMES on 23 July 2003? What is all this? Rajneesh was definitely uncomfortable with himself.

At about this time, the voice of the pilot from the cockpit announced the landing of the aircraft at Mumbai airport. Rajneesh, after getting out of the aircraft straight reached the enquiry counter of Indian airlines. There was a flight to New Delhi at 2345 hours and the seat was available. Around 1.45 AM, the next morning, Rajneesh had landed at the domestic terminal of Indra Gandhi Airport. Having got his luggage, he left for New Delhi railway station and by 3 AM he was at his destination to catch the early morning SHATABADI to Chandigarh. The train left at 7.40 Am and Rajneesh slept out the three and a half our journey to Chandigarh. Thus, by 1200 hours, almost 21 hours later than his GREAT ESCAPE from Chennai he reached his home.

As soon as he entered the house, his wife asked, “What happened to James?”

Surprised, Rajneesh counter questioned,” Why? Nothing. What makes you ask this?”

“Mrs. James rang up from Chennai. She said that he had not returned home after he went to drop you at the airport” Mrs. Rajneesh informed.

“Strange? He had gone back home after dropping me at the airport”, Rajneesh said alarmingly.

“Whatever, you better speak to Celina James” Mrs. Rajneesh advised.

Rajneesh immediately dialed residential telephone of P S James and got connected to James residence. Some male voice answered the phone,” Yes, it is PS James Residence “

“I am Rajneesh speaking from Chandigarh—a friend of James—may I speak to him or his wife” Rajneesh replied.

“I am inspector Rajan Iyer of Chennai Police department. I am sorry to inform you Mr. PS James is no more.” The voice on the other side spoke very gently.

“What? How? What happened?” Rajneesh was shocked.

“He met an accident yesterday while driving back to his residence from the airport. It was a hit and run by some truck. The truck and the driver are not traceable. Some eye witnesses say his car was banged from behind and pushed down the slope.” Inspector Rajan clarified.

“May I speak to Mrs. Celina James?” Rajneesh requested.

“Sorry, sir! She is not in a state to speak—just half an hour back we had brought the body home from the hospital” inspector Rajan intimated.

“May I speak to any of her relatives” Rajneesh further requested.

“None here at the moment---you might like to ring up later. I am sorry we have to complete certain formalities here.” Inspector Rajan cut short the conversation and disconnected the line.

Rajneesh was awfully disturbed? He wondered whether it was a genuine accident or it was orchestrated one. Why should it be James? Was it Shanta, who arranged this accident? He was really puzzled and mind stopped functioning. He started glancing through the pages of Times Of India—Chandigarh edition. As he was going through Page 3 of the News paper, he found a news item on Chennai. His eyes stopped at the headline. He looked at it again, it screamed:

“A MEGA SEX SCANDAL ROCKS CHENNAI!”

Rajneesh‘s eyes began to scan the news item in a hurry. It was a news story filed by Bhootlingam Minakashi Sundaram Pillai---Chennai based special correspondent of TOI. The story read:

“On a specific tip-off, police had yesterday raided a house in Nungambakkam area for the alleged involvement of the lady occupant in flesh trade. A female Informer had intimated the police that two customers had just walked in. However, the police found the two persons in the house claiming to be working for a detective agency. They claimed they had been engaged by some ex-intelligence officer of the Government of India, probably RAW, to do a background check of a lady who had left 15 minutes before they had broken into. It is strange that a mutilated body of a middle aged woman was also recovered from the bathroom of the house. The woman has been identified from her passport as a Pakistani national, who had been illegally staying in India over the last nine years.

Reliable sources in the police have intimated that the woman had been living under an assumed name of Sheela Devi. Her actual name was Sabeena. As per her passport and other papers recovered from the house she had come in October 1998 to visit her younger sister Sakeena, married to an Indian, Hashim Ali of Madurai, who had worked in Dubai. She had a six months visa to stay in India. Her younger sister joined her husband in Dubai in March 1999 and Sabeena‘s 17 years old son too went away with her. Sabeena was alleged to have returned to Pakistan in March1999 but, presumably, she did not. She stayed on in the house of Hashim Ali, illegally. It seemed her brother-in-law had helped her in this. Hashim’sparents did not like her activities. Therefore, in June 2003, when Hashim Ali and his family were allegedly killed in Dubai by some miscreants, she shifted to Chennai. Over the past five years she had been living in the city. She led a luxurious life for a single lady without any source of income. She had told her neighbors that she was financially supported by her business man son in Dubai. She was very polite and soft-spoken. She was very helpful to her neighbors. Sometimes, she helped them financially, too. She did some social service and she had opened up a welfare home for the poor and needy women in the Pallavan Nagar. In this connection, a lot of women used to visit her daily. The name of the ‘welfare home’ was”SHEELA DEVI WOMEN’s WELFARE and EMPOWERMENT TRUST”. The activities of this welfare home were strange. The police also raided this welfare home. They recovered a lot of Pornographic material and Blue films of young girls. It seems a multi billion rupee sex scandal was being run by this Pakistani woman with the help of some local leaders and government officials. Police is of the view that full investigation might throw up some big names. Informed sources within police had intimated to this correspondent such a sex racket could only be run with the help of some intelligence agencies. It----------------------------------“Blah---blah---it went on.

Rajneesh stopped reading it. He did not want to read it further though the story was now getting murkier. He knew this mysterious woman is some ghost from the past. But what was it? Has she managed James accident? “What lay ahead?” he thought. And there was a lot. Any moment, he could be in the police net. In fact, he had lot to answer to the police. A question would be asked on his hurried departure from Chennai. No one will listen to him that it was James who bundled him out. But, as usual, the dead men do not speak. This was no defense.

He had no time to disentangle himself from the web he was in. He was reminded of his oft-quoted advice to his ‘CHARMERS’ and ‘BOSSES’ as the MUSK head which had said, “LISTEN, dear friends, ONCE YOU ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF ‘KILLING AND BE KILLED’ THERE IS NO WAY OUT OF IT. THERE IS NO ESCAPE. YOU KILL OR YOU WILL BE KILLED. AND THE GAME GOES ON.” Rajneesh knew there was no escape from the past. He must move fast before it caught up with him. He had made up his mind and made a move.