The criminals of Kathmandu

'Nowhere in this country,'said Lalmohan Babu-alias Jatayu-in an admiring tone,'will you find a market like our New Market!' Feluda and I were in full agreement.Some time ago,there had been talk of pulling it down to build a modern multi-storey supermarket in its place.This had seriously upset Feluda. 'Don't they realize,'I had heard him fume, 'that if New Market is destroyed,it would mean the destruction of the very spirit of kolkata? if they do go ahead,I hope the citizens will not hesitate to take to to the streets in protest! Luckily,the propasal was dropped. We were now standing opposite New Market,having just seen Ape and Superape at the globe.Lalmohan Babu needed batteries for his torch and a refill for his ballpoint pen.Feluda wanted a packet of daalmut from Kalimuddi's shop.Besides,Lalmohan Babu wanted to go around the whole market to inspect its nooks and crannies.'Only yesterday,you see,I got the most wonderful idea for ghost story that can take place right here in the market! he told me We stepped into the traffic to cross the road,making our way carefully through endless private cars and taxis.Lalmohan Babu began to give me the details of his plot.We had,by now,come into the market.In front of us was a shop selling electrical goods.Lalmohan Babu could buy his batteries there and a refill for his pen from the shop opposite. The owner of Dey electircals knew Feluda.He greeted us with a smile.We were followed almost immediately by another man-about forty years of a age,medium height,a receding hairline,wearing a white bush-shirts and black trousers.In his hand was a plastic bag. 'You're Mr Mitter,aren't you?' he asked. 'Yes,that's right.' 'A man in that book shop over there pointed you out."The famous investigator,Pradosh Mitter," he said.It was really strange because I have been thinking of you for last couple of days.' 'Really?Why?' The man cleared his throat.Was he feeling nervous for some reason?'I'll explain later if you allow me to call on you,'he said.'will you be home tomorrow?' 'Yes but only after 5 p.m.' 'Very well.May I please have your address?'He took out a notebook and a fountain pen from his pocket, and handed them over to Feluda.Feluda wrote down our address and returned the notebook and a fountain pen to the gentleman.'Sorry,'he said,looking ruefully at Feluda's finger,which was obviously leaking.'My name is Batra,'he added. Lalmohan Babu had gone to buy a refill.He returned just as Mr Batra left.'Have you found yourself a client already?'he asked.Feluda smiled,but did not say anything.The three of us came out,and began walking in the direction of the daalmut shop.Lalmohan Babu took out a red notebook and began scribbling in it.This meant,inevitably,that he got left behind each time he stopped to make a note.Then he had to rush forward to catch up with us.Feluda was walking in silence,looking straight ahead,but I knew his eyes and ears taking in every detail. The market was very crowded today possibly because puja was just around the corner.Lalmohan Babu said something about the crowd.I only caught the word 'cosmopolitian',but couldn't ask him to repeat what he had said,for we had arrived at Kalimuddi's shop.'Salaam Babu,'he said and began making up a packet for us.He knew what we wanted I loved watching the way he mixed all the masala,shaking the packet gently.Its contents,I knew,would taste heavenly. He finished in a few moments and passed the packet to me.Feluda put his hand into his pocket to take out his wallet,and turned into a statue.What on earth was the matter?What was he staring at?Had his wallet been stolen? It took me a moment to realise what it was Feluda's wallet was quite safe,but he was still staring at the man who had just walked past us,glancing once in our direction without the slightest sign of recognition.He looked exactly like Mr Batra. 'Twins,whispered Lalmohan Babu. I felt inclined to agree with him.Only an incidental twin could bear such a starling resemblance.The only difference was that this man was wearing a dark blue shirt.And,of course,he didn't seem to know Feluda at all. 'There's nothing to feel so amazed about,really,'Feluda remarked.'So what if Mr Batra has a twin?Dozens of people do! 'No,sir said Lalmohan Babu most emphatically,'if a mountain doesn't have a snow-capped peak,I don't call that a mountain at all.' He was sitting in our living room for next evening,talking idly about going to a hill station for a holiday.There was an atlas lying on the coffee table.Lalmohan Babu stretched out a hand towards it,possibly to find the map of India,but withdrew it as the bell rang. Srinath answered the door,and a minute later,Mr Batra walked in.Srinath followed,only a few moments later,with a cup of tea. "Do you have a twin?'Lalmohan Babu asked as soon as Mr Batra was seated.His eyebrows shot up immediately, and his mouth fell open. 'How...how did you...?' 'Let me explain,'Feluda said..'We saw your twin soon after we met you yesterday in New Market.' 'Mr Mitter!Mr Batra cried,bringing his fist down on the arm of his chair in excitement.'I am the only child of my parents.I have no brother or sister.' 'Well,then-?' 'That is precisely why I've come to see you.It started a week ago ,in Kathmandu.I work in a travel agency there called Sun Travels I am their PRO.There is a good restaurant near my office where I have lunch every day.Last Monday,when I went there,the waiter said he was surprised to see me,for hadn't I already eaten my lunch?A couple of other people also said they had seen me eating only half an hour ago.Just imagine,Mr Mitter!It took me some time to convince them that the man they had seen wasn't me.Then the waiter said he had felt a little suspicious since the other man had a full lunch with rice and curry and everything,whereas I normally have a few sandwiches and a cup of coffee.'Mr Batra paused to take a sip form his cup.Then he continued,'I arrived kolkata the day before yesterday,which was a Sunday.My work is such that I have to travel to Kolkata,Delhi and Mumbai quite often.Anyway,yesterday,I was walking out of the hotel-I'm staying at the Grand-to buy some aspirin,when I heard someone say,"Mr Batra,can you come here for a minute?"It turned out to be a salesman from the hotel's gift shop.I went in,and he showed me a hundred rupee note."This is a fake,"he said,"there's no water mark on it.Please change it sir."At first,I could only stare at him.You see,I hadn't been to that shop at all.But the salesman assured me that I-or someone who looked like me-had brought a kukri from them and given them that fake note!' 'Kukri?you mean a Nepali knife?'Lalmohan Babu asked. 'Yes.Why I buy a Nepali knife here in Kolkata,tell me?I live in Nepal,for heaven's sake!I could buy a kukri any day at half the price.' 'Did you have to change the note?' 'oh yes.I tried telling them I wasn't the same man,but they began to give me such strange looks that I...' 'Hm.' 'What am I to do,Mr Mitter?' Feluda flicked the ash from his Charminar into an ashtray and said,'I can understand how you must feel.' 'I am getting into a state of panic,Mr Mitter.God knows what this man will do next. 'Yes,it's an awkward situation,'said Feluda slowly.'I might have found it difficult to believe your story if I hadn't seen your lookalike myself.But even so,Mr Batra,I must confess I'm at a a loss to see how I can help you.' Mr Batra nodded,looking profoundly miserable.'Yes I know there's nothing for you to do-yet,'he said.'My problem is that I am going back to Kathmandu tomorrow.What if this man follows me there?it's obvious he's trying to harass me deliberately. So far it's cost me only a hundred rupees,but who knows what he might do next?what if-? 'Look,'Feluda interrupted gently,'at this point of time I really cannot help you.Go straight to the police if you're harassed again in Kathmandu.What a man like this needs is a sound trashing,and the police can hand it out much better than anyone else.But let us hope it won't come to that.' 'Yes,I certainly hope so,'said Mr Batra,rising to his feet.'anyway,at least this gave me the chance to meet you.I had heard such a lot about you from Sarweshwar Sahl.' Sarweshwar Sahl was an old client. 'Goodbye,Mr Batra.Good luck!. 'Thank you,I may need it.Goodbye!' Lalmohan Babu was the first to speak after Mr Batra had gone. 'Strange!'he said.'Kathmandu is a hill station!Why didn't I think of it before?just because it's in a foreign country?'