Jekhane Khooner Bhoy by Aniruddha Sau [Paperback]

The moment we think of murder, two colors appear before our eyes—red, the color of blood, and black, naturally associated with crime. But when we delve deeper into the causes and consequences of this crime, we realize that it is not so simple. There is yet another color in this process, whether we acknowledge it or not.

Let’s first talk about motive—the reason behind the murder. There is no doubt that murder is a crime. But when we analyze the factors behind it, things become increasingly complex. The seemingly clear boundary between legal and illegal begins to blur in many cases. Often, once we understand the reasons, our sympathy shifts towards the perpetrator.

Now, let’s discuss the modus operandi—the method of murder. In a realistic framework, law enforcement and the judicial system identify criminals and punish them. The foundation of this is police investigation, where forensic science and other procedural details captivate us. A significant part of the investigation involves understanding every stage of the murder—the time, the weapon, the method. But as readers, we often find ourselves conflicted. We start wondering whether the murder was truly premeditated. In such circumstances, anything could happen. Even we might...!

When we reach this state of doubt, the concept of murder begins to resemble a murky mirror. This confusion intensifies as we learn more about autopsies and forensic details. Instead of identifying with the police or the detective, we begin to place ourselves in the victim’s position. And then something strange happens—we start to understand the murderer.

Once the time of the murder is determined, the next crucial step is to identify the opportunity—the moment when the crime was possible. Many may have wished to commit the crime, but who among them had the actual opportunity at that particular moment? The analysis of this opportunity reveals hidden truths, unspoken realities. And as we uncover these, we sometimes feel that maybe the criminal should escape punishment. Maybe, just this once, the police should be wrong!

But the law moves forward on its own path, in its own way. Everything is eventually revealed—sooner or later. Whether it is an apparently impossible locked-room murder or a series of seemingly accidental deaths, the police or the investigator always unearth the truth. But then what happens?

Murder, by its nature, is heavy, dark, and engulfed in grief. Even after committing it, the murderer’s mind does not attain complete stability. The reason is simple—no matter how much they justify their actions to themselves or others, deep inside, they cannot hide the fact that their own impulse, their drive to complete an act, forced them to overcome moral and psychological barriers. And then, their realization clashes with their inner self, their pure conscience. This white color of conscience starts disrupting all their previous calculations.

What do they do then? And what do we do with them?

To understand this, you must read the three novel-like stories in this book.

Aniruddha Sau is one of my favorite authors. I have read almost everything he has written so far. The reason is simple—no one in Bengali literature writes police procedurals as well as he does. But he doesn’t merely focus on procedural details. Rather, he is more interested in portraying the light and darkness that play within the minds of the victims and murderers—the strange, bloody patterns that emerge from their actions. Perhaps that’s why his mysteries are not just whodunits or howdunits. Instead, they become a medium to explore the three qualities of murder—sattva (purity), rajas (passion), and tamas (darkness).

The three stories in this book also depict these three aspects of murder. They are complex, fast-paced, ruthless, yet deeply moving. After reading them, you may begin to see murder in a different light.

I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Turn the page and dive into the threefold nature of murder.

With thanks and regards,
Riju Ganguly