Decoding the mask

Decoding the mask

“’The owner of Pakheer Basha at Prantik is a crook!’’ Samaranand said when he on his morning walk routine met his friend Dinu. Yes same Dinu who had to cut short his trip because of a mask. They were sitting on a bench by the side of lake when Samaranand was narrating his discovery. This time he had his assistant Babulal with him

Samaranand’s said, “You gave us the details like email id of the owner,mobile number of Gopi,and the location of the bungalow. I sent Babulal to Bolpur to nose around.” Then he looked at Babulal to tell his side of the story. 
Those who have been following exploits of Samaranand are aware that Babulal who had been assisting magicians, Sadhus in Delhi had run away from there and now with the help of computer wizard Soumaya is in various schemes of making money. He was helped by Samaranand to settle down in Kolkata and often does the legwork for Samaranand as he loves adventure. He is slightly built with modern spikey haircut. That day he was in jeans, sneakers and a bomber jacket. His appearance is ordinary and innocent, easily melts in a crowd.

Babulal coughed slightly and started his narration hesitantly.

Uncle (he calls Samaranand uncle) gave me all the details he collected from you and I rang up your nephew to get some details about Gopi. I came to know that Gopi is a son of a farmer and maintains the garden of the bungalow. He with his family stays in the outhouse, his school-going son is good in studies.He coordinates with the guests for food and local movement by totos (battery powered auto rickshaws). Your nephew Shubho mailed me a picture of the mask which you took while you first entered the bungalow. I got a similar mask made by an artisan in kumortuli.

I went to Bolpur and took a hotel accommodation near prantik, there are cheap lodgings available around that place. After checking in I did a quick reconnaissance of Pakheer Basha by taking a toto as suggested by uncle. On inquiring, the toto driver informed that Gopi has some fixed toto drivers who he calls. I became friendly with that toto driver Jhontu. I took him to a tea stall and fed him snacks. He promised that next day he would introduce me with one of those regular drivers of toto.

Next day Jhontu took me to the nearest toto stand at Prantik station and introduced me to Khokon. I was carrying the duplicate mask in a side bag when I went to meet Khokon. I used my charm to make friend with Khokon, I offered him imported cigarette which uncle had given me on his return from Australia.

Samaranand smiled and said, “As a ritual I purchase a pack of 10 Dunhill packets at Singapore. I gave one to Babulal, I have one for you too.”

“No, yar I have stopped smoking. “ Dinu said and then with his eyes he signaled Babulal to continue.

Babulal continues addressing Dinu.

I asked Khokon about your group , whether he remembers ferrying you. He remembered your group as you did not do any haggling with fare. He was feeling bad that you left abruptly but then informed that very next day a big group had come. It was one of those NRI ,Bengali groups. I got suspicious that how come very next day a group can come when your booking was still there. In the evening, I invited Khokon for dinner and drink. After a few peg he informed that Poltu is the most trusted toto driver of Gopi. That day while going to Kankali tala he had seen Gopi and Poltu in a huddle near the gate of Pakheer Basha and passed on an opbject looking like a mask. I pulled out the duplicate mask, and showed him , he jumped up in his chair and confirmed that it was the mask.

I requested him to introduce me to Poltu. Next day Khokon took me  to the same toto stand near Prantik and introduced me to Poltu as  cousin brother. Poltu suspiciously looked at me, I gave him a broad smile. I hired him for Kankali tala. He was silently driving, we were passing the serene mustard field there was not much crowd on the road, and occasionally overloaded bus would pass. I put on the mask and tapped Poltu. He looked back gave out a gurgling sound and stopped the toto. He was of average height with shifty eyes.

“Who gave you that mask?” Poltu shouted at me.

“Who else, Gopi.”I said.

“How can he give you the mask, you are a new person."

I removed the mask and sternly said, "I am from police" and showed him my false id card. 

"A few days back you hired a boy to pretend to sell the mask to an elderly passenger at Kankali tala. He had reported to police.I have been sent to inquire."

Poltu was on his knees, started babbling, "If i go to jail who would look after my old parents. This Gopi fellow asked me to play the prank on that gentleman."

"How frequently do you do the mask drama?"

"Mostly during busy tourist season."

"Then what happens?"

"Mostly next day the tourists leave Pakheer Basha."

I asked him to return back and instructed him to bring Gopi to me or otherwise i would be compelled to arrest him.
Pronto by evening time Poltu brought the caretaker Gopi to my room in the lodge. Gopi was a thin fellow , average height of 5ft 5inches with a shabby pant, torn sweater and sandals. In the meanwhile i had befriended a local policeman and requested him to be there in my room as i was going to expose a scam.
In presence of Gopi i told the constable that here was the culprit of the scam about which i was telling him. Gopi was in tears and i could sense that Poltu had already briefed him. With folded hand he said, "I am a poor man. I have to feed my family so i did whatever my master from Kolkata instructed."
Tell me ," did you you stage the mask fiasco in the night."
"The ground floor bedroom has a sliding door in the cupboard from the adjoining room. I took off the mask from the wall, entered the room and breathed down on memsahib with the mask on my face. by the time she was stirring up quietly i got in the cupboard and came out."
"You must be doing this often to scare away guests. Let me guess you then went up and repeated the act with others.But then how did you get out when all assembled in the hall?"
"That was not difficult sir, i went down the pipe from the balcony"' He told sheepishly.
Thus my investigation completed, i have been reporting the progress regularly to uncle. I asked the constable to deal with the situation. I am sure that the constable might have taken some money from Dinu and left him scot free.
Dinu was seething with anger as cunningly they had been fooled , he asked, "why did they do this to us?"
"First you have picked  a fight , given low star rating and secondly they must have charged a tidy some from the NRI group. As we know for such short booking there is surge pricing in hotels and such places which is much higher than what you had paid as you booked 2 months in advance.." Samaranand explained patiently.
"So they have been doing this trick during peak seasons."Dinu asked.
"Yes, also i checked in Google about your giving 3 stars rating to Pakheer Basha. Immediately within 4 hours of your posting there was another posting giving 5 star to the joint. The average of 4.4 star was thus maintained."
"It means they have lackeys who boost up the star ratings in all such platforms, rascals!" Dinu said brightly.
"Yes, haven't you noticed those advertisement about work from home earning for house wives and retired person. There are agencies who manipulate ratings by utilizing ids of such individuals against some monthly sum. These people retweet, give like in Face Book, manipulate ratings in all kind of virtual platforms." Samaranand explained patiently.
"How to teach a lesson to this rascal?" Dinu looked at Saranand and Babulal.
"Uncle has a plan!"Babulal said with a broad smile.
Yes,Samaranand has a plan to screw those rascals.