Francis Xavier
Part LI, (Continued from last week)
Capt. Birch sat at his table and took out four blank sheets of paper. He chose a pen from the pen stand, dipped it in ink and started writing slowly. On the top of the first sheet he wrote in block capitals “CERTIFICATE,” and carefully underlined it. Below that he wrote:
“I hereby certify that the sentence of death passed on Hemraj has been duly executed, and the said Hemraj was accordingly hanged by the neck till he was dead, at Viper gallows on the ……. Day of ….. at 6.00 a.m., that the body remained suspended for a full hour, and was not taken down until life was ascertained by a medical officer to be extinct; and that no accident, error or other misadventure occurred.
At the bottom he drew a dotted a line and below it wrote in bold letters “Superintendent.”
He took out another blank sheet and again wrote ‘CERTIFICATE’ on the top. He was about to underline it when a shot rang out.
A loud commotion broke out in the barracks behind the house. Birch opened the drawer and took out his revolver. He checked it to see it was loaded and put it in the holster. As he rose from the table another shot rang out. There was more commotion. Looking out Birch could see it was coming from the Aberdeen Police Barracks. Police men were running about.
A third shot rang out as Birch entered the street. He unconsciously ducked as a bullet whizzed past his head.
Revolver in hand Birch ran towards the barracks. Shouts of “maar diya, khoon kar diya,” could be heard.
When he reached the barracks Birch saw the men carrying a bleeding Khairu Khan, the Chief Constable of the Aberdeen Police Station, on a litter. He was a giant pathan. Always attired in immaculate uniform and turban, sporting big handlebar moustaches and sideburns he was the pride of the Port Blair police force.
As the men carried him away Birch saw that his knee was shattered and a big, red patch was spreading on his shirt front. He was still in his uniform. Khairu Khan turned his head towards Birch and tried to say something but no words came out of his mouth. Two large tear drops rolled down his cheeks. The shadow of death was already on his face.
Birch ordered the men to take him quickly to the hospital and asked who fired the shot. Another man emerged from the barracks, supported by two constables. Blood poured from his left leg. It was Constable Shadi. The men told Birch that the same shot that shattered Khairu’s knee had hit Shadi also. The third shot was fired into the room of another Chief Constable but did no harm.
Birch ordered a muster of all the policemen on duty at the Thannah guard. As he was leaving to convey the news to Cadell a sepoy approached and informed that Khairu Khan had passed away.
“These Pathans in the police force have been a constant source of trouble,” thought Birch. Only a couple of days earlier he had a meeting with Col. Cadell and suggested they be repatriated to the frontier areas. There were only eleven of them. Six of them belonged to regiments from where they were transferred to the police, counting their past service. They felt out of place in Andamans. They liked expeditions and emergencies but hated the monotonous guard duty. It is possible that the man who fired the shots was a pathan and still in possession of the weapon with which he shot Khairu.
Birch had lot of work on his hands that day. He felt saddened by the death of Khairu. He sent for Baghail Singh and ordered him to find the killer soon. ( To be continued ….)
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