part 7
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"It takes courage," Sindhu said.
"A lot of courage," Yadav added. "When the hunger is as big as an elephant, a needle-sized mouth cannot satisfy it."
"Absolutely," Kumar continued, "For the success of great ambitions, equally great courage is needed."
"Which this Jagat Gosai had," Sindhu remarked.
"Indeed, without a doubt."
"And when this Jagat Gosai was establishing his empire in Delhi, what was the Delhi Police doing?"
"Looking for evidence."
"Which—obviously—was never found."
"If it had been, would this new 'Ustad' have risen again?"
"That's true."
"Anyway, the story now is that this new 'Ustad' of drug lords in Delhi has not only established his trade but has done so with such expertise that it has expanded beyond just Delhi, spreading into Haryana and U.P.'s NCR—essentially, the regions bordering Delhi."
"Hmm."
"The situation now is that if we take action against him in Delhi, he simply shifts operations to Gurgaon or Noida—areas outside our jurisdiction."
"Meaning, we need a specialized team effort that allows Delhi Police to operate beyond its usual limits, receiving support in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh's adjoining regions."
"Now you understand," Kumar said, taking a sip. "And we need this special support specifically in Noida and Gurgaon."
"And Delhi Police's Super Cop already seems to have a plan in mind for this."
Kumar only smiled.
"Now, spill the details," Sindhu urged.
Kumar leaned in and began explaining in a low voice.
"Brilliant," Brijlal Yadav said after listening to the plan. "This is a solid strategy."
"This is called fighting fire with fire," Sindhu quipped. "Poison against poison."
"You have to become a fox to deal with foxes," Kumar took a deep breath and philosophically added, "Evil is not some divine force—it is a deeply human element that sleeps in our beds and shares our meals."
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Delhi Police Headquarters – 3:00 PM
A soft knock was heard on the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and a tall young man stepped inside the office of the Delhi Police Commissioner, offering a crisp salute.
"Ah, there you are," the Commissioner said. "I was expecting you."
The young man—28 years old, well-built, with a dusky complexion—was a currently suspended Delhi Police officer, summoned here for a special reason.
"Take a seat," the Commissioner gestured toward the visitor's chair.
The young man sat down.
"So, how are you?" The Commissioner, struggling to find a way to begin, finally asked.
"I'm fine, sir," came the brief reply.
"What are you doing these days?"
"Enjoying my departmental gift," the young man responded bitterly, referring to his suspension.
"I know that when Delhi Police suspended you, they overlooked your many successful assignments," the Commissioner acknowledged. "But I assure you that the departmental inquiry into your case will reach a fair conclusion soon."
"And that 'soon' is likely to take several years," the young man said, glancing at the wall behind the Commissioner.
"Young man," the Commissioner said sympathetically, "I personally assure you that whatever decision is made regarding your case will take into account your past track record."
"Why such kindness?"
"First of all, this is not kindness," the Commissioner said calmly. "It's your right."
"If I truly had any rights, the department wouldn't have suspended me over such a minor issue."
"That step was a necessary immediate action at the time."
"Why was it necessary?" the young man raised his voice slightly.
"You know the reason very well."
"I don't understand it—never have."
"The reason is that you launched an operation without prior notification and ended up being responsible for a shootout in a mall's basement," the Commissioner explained, visibly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking.
"That operation was necessary."
"Even if it was, departmental protocols were necessary too. You were not authorized to launch it alone."
"Not even when it involved Mansa-al-Hilali, the terrorist responsible for the Jamia Nagar shootout that led to the martyrdom of our brave officer, Inspector Rajan Nagar?"
"We all regret Rajan's death."
"So did I. But besides regret, I had an opportunity," the young man raised his voice slightly, his eyes burning with passion. "A golden chance to avenge my comrade's death."
"Listen, young man—Delhi Police is a reputed and disciplined armed force," the Commissioner countered. "We don't operate on personal revenge."
"I understand that," the young man replied. "But don't forget that Hilali started the shootout in that underground parking lot. I had no choice but to respond."
"I agree with your version of events," the Commissioner admitted. "But even so, an investigation was necessary."
"If I hadn't returned fire that day, another Delhi Police officer would have died." The young man's voice softened. "And the department would have been mourning another fallen hero."
"An innocent civilian could have died in that shootout as well," the Commissioner pointed out.
"That was a possibility—but it didn't happen."
"Even so, the offense remains."
"So I was suspended for something that 'could have happened' but didn't?"
"No," the Commissioner corrected. "You were suspended because of how you handled the entire operation—going solo and keeping the department in the dark."
"I was about to inform the department when I ran into Hilali."
"That's exactly what is under investigation."
"My department isn't supporting me."
"That's another misconception," the Commissioner replied. "The very fact that you're sitting here in my office proves that Delhi Police hasn't forgotten its brave officers."
The young man fell silent.
"And don't forget that the people of this city trust Delhi Police. They believe that in times of trouble, we will come to their aid—even if they have never needed us before and may never need us in the future." The Commissioner's tone was calm. "What they don't expect is to see a Delhi Police officer—no matter how skilled—firing bullets in a crowded mall's underground parking lot."
"When my informant tipped me off about Hilali's presence there, I had to act immediately," the young man argued. "Wasting time in departmental procedures could have let Hilali escape."
"That might have happened," the Commissioner admitted. "But even so, that doesn't justify handling it all alone and engaging in a full-blown shootout."
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