• Crime - English

    Bylanes of Dadar

    August 4, 2025 - By 

    Nikhil Vartak 1 The morning rush at Dadar station had already peaked by 8:15 AM—porters yelling over the screech of arriving locals, chai vendors navigating through tired office-goers, and the ever-present static of platform announcements blending into the Mumbai noise symphony. Sub-Inspector Tanya Naik stepped onto Platform Three with the weariness of someone who hadn’t finished her first week in the city. Her boots made a dull thud on the wet concrete, and she blinked slowly at the wall of commuters parting around a huddle of constables near a shuttered tea stall. The rain had left the platform slick and…

  • Crime - English

    The Frequency Killer

    July 26, 2025 - By 

    Kalyan Mukherjee One The rain had turned Hatibagan into a mosaic of puddles and reflections. Rickshaws creaked over slick tram tracks, and yellow taxis honked in frustration as they weaved between vegetable carts and slow-moving pedestrians. Amrita Dutta stood before the rusting iron gate of her grandfather’s house, staring up at the dark, crumbling façade as though it might swallow her whole. It had been over a decade since she’d stepped foot in this neighborhood, and yet the smell of damp paper, incense, and frying telebhaja felt too familiar. She entered cautiously, key in hand, pushing open the heavy door…

  • Crime - English

    Red Threads of Malappuram

    July 24, 2025 - By 

    Prakash Iyer 1 The heat of the festival hung heavy in the air, thick with sandalwood smoke, jasmine petals, and the rhythmic thud of chenda drums echoing off ancient temple walls. Women moved through the temple grounds in waves of red and gold, their sarees shimmering under strings of hanging oil lamps. In the courtyard of the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple, amidst the pulse of ritual and devotion, a body lay sprawled near the banyan tree where devotees tied threads for wishes. The crowd had not noticed her at first, assuming she was just another woman overcome by the rush of the…

  • Crime - English

    The Killer’s Masquerade

    July 12, 2025 - By 

    Shalini Deshmukh 1 The streets of Goa were a riot of color, music, and laughter. It was the height of Carnival, and the city was alive with exuberance. Masked revelers danced through the streets, their faces hidden behind glittering masks, their costumes a kaleidoscope of feathers, beads, and sequins. The scent of street food filled the air, mixing with the faint, salty breeze from the sea. Goa, known for its beaches and laid-back charm, had a different pulse during Carnival—a pulse that beat with frenetic energy and reckless abandon. To most, it was a time of celebration, of letting go…

  • Crime - English

    The Calcutta Code

    July 9, 2025 - By 

    Anirban Guha 1 Detective Rishi Das stood at the edge of the Howrah Bridge, watching the river churn beneath him, his eyes unblinking despite the chill of the early morning air. The city was alive around him, the sounds of honking horns and distant voices mingling with the smell of freshly fried kachori from a street vendor. But Rishi was no longer part of the city’s pulse; he was detached, his mind consumed by the case at hand. Rajat Sanyal, the prominent businessman whose car had been found abandoned at this very spot, had vanished without a trace. There were…

  • Crime - English

    The Missing Kingfisher

    July 3, 2025 - By 

    Namrata Das Chapter 1: The Vanishing Act The early morning sun filtered through the glass windows of the high-rise building, casting long shadows over the boardroom table where Vikram Khandelwal, CEO of Khandelwal Technologies, had sat just days ago. The office now stood eerily silent, devoid of its usual buzz, as the city of Bangalore continued its relentless pace outside. Vikram’s sudden disappearance had left everyone in shock. The multi-billion-dollar merger between Khandelwal Technologies and Rathi Innovations, set to redefine the Indian tech landscape, had fallen apart without explanation. In a matter of hours, a corporate juggernaut had crumbled, and…

  • English - Suspense

    The Return to Dhanakpur

    July 2, 2025 - By 

    Arvind Ray Chapter 1: The Hit-and-Run Vikram Jadhav had never imagined his life would change because of a late-night accident, especially not in Mumbai, where chaos reigned at every corner. It was around midnight when he was returning from a meeting with investors. The street was dimly lit, with rainwater shimmering in the orange glow of the street lamps. The city was unusually quiet for a Friday night. Vikram’s car rolled smoothly over the wet asphalt as he thought about the potential success of his tech startup, when suddenly, a blur of motion caught his eye. He slammed on the…

  • Crime - English

    Murder at Mall Road

    June 27, 2025 - By 

    Ramesh Jha Chapter 1: The Arrival Snow fell in lazy spirals over Shimla’s Mall Road, blanketing the colonial rooftops and iron lamp posts in white. Tourists had thinned out by evening, and the narrow lanes echoed with the crunch of boots on icy gravel. Nestled between the aging Tudor-style library and a forgotten clock tower stood The Elgin Crest Hotel—a heritage property with oak-paneled halls, a grand staircase, and fireplaces that still burned real wood. Ayesha Mirza stepped out of her taxi, wrapped in a crimson shawl, boots sinking slightly into the slush. She had chosen this destination to escape…

  • Crime - English

    The Ashram Conspiracy

    June 26, 2025 - By 

    Rohit Jha Chapter 1: The Silence Breaks The sun had only just begun to crest the misty ridge of the Shivalik hills when Inspector Arvind Rawat’s car crunched across the gravel path leading into Shakti Dham Retreat. The towering teak gate, adorned with Sanskrit shlokas and brass lotus insignias, parted slowly before him, revealing manicured gardens and stone pathways shaded by deodar trees. The ashram was a place of silence—literally so, as the guests were observing a week-long vow of maun vrat, speechlessness meant to cleanse the mind. But peace was the last thing present this morning. Arvind stepped out…

  • Crime - English

    The Silent Depth

    June 25, 2025 - By 

    Anant Chowhan Chapter 1 The indoor pool was still cloaked in shadow when Suvam Dey stepped inside the cavernous space, his footsteps echoing against the high glass walls. The air smelled sharply of chlorine and faint mildew, a familiar scent that both comforted and stung. It was just past 4:30 AM, the hour he cherished most—before the noise, before the competition, before the world crept into the stillness. He dropped his duffel near the bleachers, removed his hoodie, and looked at the water—calm, mirrorlike, awaiting only him. Suvam dove in without hesitation, slicing through the silence. Each stroke was metronomic,…