New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) A collection of short stories authored by M A Ganapathy, former Director General of National Security Guard (NSG), is a mix of policing incidents and the paranormal.
The stories in “Whispers in the Shadows” relate to adventures of a low-profile and conscientious police officer named Avinash.
In many stories, Avinash fails or struggles to ensure justice to the victims, but sudden and shocking turn of events result in comeuppance to the offenders.
The stories, written by the retired IPS officer, portray the fallible side of law-enforcement but with strange and mysterious twists to incidents.
Such mysteries range from hazy apparitions forewarning the protagonist of danger to his life to spirits of animals avenging murders and even inexplicable phone messages from a deceased child averting bomb blasts in an airport.
Most of the stories are set in north India, including in easily recognisable places of Delhi like the Lodhi Garden and JNU.
One story of a small child, set in the Northeast is particularly eerie and poignant.
What makes the work of Ganapathy different for a larger audience is the fact that the stories are not about policing triumphs, but about giving agency to the victims of crime, who often fail to get justice, but nevertheless get redemption due unexpected paranormal turn of events.
Some of these events are actually quite spooky, says Ganapathy, who had a long tenure as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Director General of Uttarakhand Police.
At the same time, the work is not a collection of run of the mill horror stories, but reflect a unique perspective of police work and law enforcement.
Also, a sense of exploration of life itself, beyond one’s normal comprehension.
Some of the stories also relate to the personal life of Avinash, which are located in the Western Ghats of Karnataka and are decidedly more spookier than the rest.
These stories seem to be adaptations of local folk lore and belief systems prevalent there.
For those who know the author, who had also served in CBI, Uttar Pradesh Police and CISF, the character of Avinash seems suspiciously familiar.
But what makes Ganapathy’s work different is the fact that it is not a chronicle of momentous national security events or operational achievements, but depiction of ordinary events in a manner which makes one momentarily suspend disbelief and wonder: Is there really life after life? That enquiry is unusual for a policeman to embark upon and also, to almost convince the reader that it could well be the case. PTI ACB ZMN
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