Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit are visiting Patna, staying with their friend Purandar Pandey, a high-ranking police official. Pandey informs them about the rising crime in the city, mentioning the recent recovery of a deadly South American poison called Curare, which causes instant death if it enters the bloodstream.
The Incident
The trio is invited to a party hosted by Deepnarayan Singh, a wealthy landlord who has just recovered from a long illness. During the party, several key characters are introduced:
• Shakuntala: Deepnarayan’s young, beautiful, and highly educated second wife.
• Dr. Panna Lal Palit: Deepnarayan’s physician, who saved his life during his recent illness.
• Devnarayan: Deepnarayan’s nephew and heir, described as a foolish and dissipated man.
• Narmadashankar: A wealthy but disreputable acquaintance of the family who is close to Shakuntala.
The next morning, Deepnarayan dies suddenly after receiving a routine liver extract injection from Dr. Palit.
The Investigation
Byomkesh suspects foul play when it is revealed that Dr. Palit’s dispensary was broken into the night before. While it initially appeared to be a minor theft, Byomkesh realizes the killer entered to tamper with the medicine vial, injecting Curare into it.
Key Motives and Revelations:
• Inheritance: As Deepnarayan was childless, his nephew Devnarayan was the sole heir to his vast estate.
• The Pregnancy: Dr. Palit reveals that Shakuntala is three months pregnant. Deepnarayan had only learned of this the night before he died. If the child is a son, Devnarayan would lose the inheritance, providing him with a strong motive.
• The Secret Relationship: There is tension regarding Shakuntala’s relationship with the shady Narmadashankar.
The Climax and Resolution
• Byomkesh investigates the access points to the house, noting a back gate (khirki) that could be used to enter undetected. The investigation leads to a confrontation involving a secret letter.
বঙ্কেশ পরিকল্পিতভাবে গোপন সাক্ষাতের ফাঁদ পাতেন।
রাতে Killer শকুন্তলার থেকে এক চিঠি নিতে আসে। গাছের আড়ালে লুকিয়ে থাকা বঙ্কেশ, পান্ডে ও পুলিশ দল ঘটনাটি ধরে ফেলে।
সত্য প্রকাশের মুহূর্তে—
• Killer পালাতে গিয়ে গুলি চালানোর চেষ্টা করে
• পান্ডের গুলিতে সে নিহত হয়
1. The Killer
The killer is Ratikanta, the police inspector. Although he appeared to be an upright officer and a "prince-like" gentleman, he was secretly involved with Deepnarayan's wife, Shakuntala. Byomkesh identifies the killer as someone who is "courageous, educated, and possesses medical knowledge"—a description that fits Ratikanta, who was a B.Sc. graduate.
2. The Conspiracy and Method
The murder was a calculated conspiracy between Ratikanta and Shakuntala to secure Deepnarayan's vast wealth.
• The Poison: They used Curare, a deadly South American poison that causes instant death upon entering the bloodstream.
• The Tampering: Ratikanta utilized his position to stage a "theft" at Dr. Palit's dispensary. Instead of stealing money, his true objective was to inject Curare into the liver extract vial that he knew Dr. Palit would use for Deepnarayan’s routine injection the following morning.
• The Trigger: The murder was likely accelerated because Shakuntala had informed Deepnarayan of her pregnancy the night before. If the child were born, the inheritance dynamics would change, and the conspirators needed Deepnarayan dead to ensure they could control the estate.
3. The Letter
The letter mentioned in the climax is a piece of incriminating evidence—likely a love letter or a correspondence detailing the plot—between Shakuntala and Ratikanta.
• Significance: Byomkesh uses the letter to expose the relationship and the conspiracy.
• The Climax: In the final confrontation, Ratikanta is caught trying to take the letter back from Shakuntala's hand. Realizing he is trapped, he pulls out a pistol to fire, but Inspector Pandey shoots him first.