Page 99 - Train to Pakistan

put his hand on his mouth and yelled; he beat his chest and shook the iron bars;
he swore that he would tear Malli limb from limb. I have never seen anyone in a
rage like that. We could not take any chances, so we kept Malli in the reporting
room till Jugga’s temper was down. Then we moved Jugga into the Babu’s cell

and put Malli’s men in Jugga’s.’
‘It must have been a good tamasha,’ said the subinspector with a grin. ‘We

will have some more. I am going to release Malli’s men.’
The constable looked puzzled. Before he could ask any questions, the
subinspector dismissed him with a lordly wave of the hand.
‘Policy, you know! You will learn when you have been in the service as long

as I have. Go and see if the head constable has had his tea. Say it is important.’
A little later the head constable arrived, belching contentment. He had the

smug expression of one ready to protest against any commendation of his
efficiency. The subinspector ignored the modest smile the other wore and asked
him to shut the door and sit down. The head constable’s expression changed

from contentment to concern. He shut the door and stood on the other side of the
table. ‘Yes, sir. What are the orders?’
‘Sit down. Sit down,’ the subinspector said. His voice was cool. ‘There is no

hurry.’
The head constable sat down.
The subinspector rotated the sharp end of a pencil in his ear and examined the

brown wax which stuck to it. He got a cigarette out of his pocket and tapped its
tip on the matchbox several times before lighting it. He sucked it noisily. The
smoke poured out of his nostrils, rebounded off the table and spread into the

room.
‘Head Constable Sahib,’ he said at last, removing a tiny bit of tobacco from
his tongue. ‘Head Constable Sahib, there are lots of things to be done today, and

I want you to do them personally.’
‘Yes, sir,’ answered the head constable gravely.
‘First, take Malli and his men to Mano Majra. Release them where the

villagers can see them being released. Near the temple, perhaps. Then inquire
casually from the villagers if anyone has seen Sultana or any of his gang about.
You need not say why. Just make the inquires.’

‘But, sir, Sultana and his lot went away to Pakistan. Everyone knows that.’
The Inspector put the end of his pencil in his ear again and rubbed the wax on