The path to the Baba’s hut was lit only by the fading light and Ved’s rage. By the time he reached, the scene was already brutal — Arjun and a few loyal men had dragged the old man into the open. Blood painted his face, clothes torn, body trembling.
He was kneeled down while his men stood tall, shadows cast like warriors of justice.
Arjun approached him, a fresh bruise on his cheek, blood drying on his knuckles.
"Woh bhaag raha tha, Ved..." Arjun's voice was low, menacing. "Saboot mitane ki koshish kar raha tha lekin humne pakad liya. Kuch dawaiyan bhi mili hain andar."
( He was trying to flee Ved... trying to erase the evidences but we caught him. We found some medicines too )
Ved’s jaw clenched. The image of Vedita’s torn sleeve flashed in his mind.
He dismounted slowly, each step toward the baba heavier than the last. The moment Baba’s eyes met his, he flinched, as if sensing death itself.
Without a word, Ved took the thick wooden staff from one of the men and struck—once, twice, thrice—each blow harder, the sound echoing in the stillness.
The sickening crack of bones echoed under the night sky.
Baba howled in pain but no one moved to help.
Then Ved stepped back, breathing heavily. His eyes held a storm that was quiet and lethal.
He looked at Arjun and said in a voice that chilled even the air around them —
"Jinda jala do isse... Lekin usse pehle pure gaon ke saamne iska asli chehra dikao.. Yeh aaj hi khatam hoga."
( Burn him alive but before that the whole village needs to see his true face. He will end today only)
Arjun didn’t flinch.
He nodded once and ordered two men to drag baba in between the village square while the other two went to gather the whole village.
—-------
The sky was heavy with storm clouds, as if nature itself had decided to witness the downfall of the so-called “Baba.”
A large crowd had gathered in the dusty village square, murmuring, whispering, eyes darting toward the man being dragged forward. Loud and angry gasps erupted in the area.
Two of Ved’s men shoved Baba ahead. His hands tied, his once-proud face now smeared with dirt and fear.
Ved walked behind him, silent but radiating fury. His jaw was tight and his eyes blaze like fire.
Baba stumbled to his knees in the middle of the square, trying to act innocent in front of villagers.
“Ved… beta, yeh kya—”
(Ved….son, what's this —)
Ved’s voice thundered, cutting him off.
“Chup! Aaj tu apna muh tab kholega jab main bolunga. Aur woh bhi sabke saamne, taaki is gaon ka har ek insaan teri asal shakal dekh sake."
(Shut up! You’ll only speak when I tell you to. And that too in front of everyone, so the whole village can see your true face.)
Ved, loudly to everyone
"Aaj tum sab ke saamne ek sach saamne aane wala hai... woh sach jo is gaon ko saalon se andhere mein rakha hua tha."
(Today, a truth will be revealed before you all… a truth that has kept this village in darkness for years.)
He held Baba's neck and made him stand in front of everyone….Baba again tried to defend himself in front of everyone.
“Ved… tum jante nahi kisse takra rahe ho. Main iss gaon ka rakshak hoon”
(Ved, do you know who you’re going against? I am the protector of this village.)
Ved’s voice thundered back.
"Rakshak? Tu toh iss gaon ka shikari hai. Tu ne in masoom aurton ko 'shraapit' keh kar unki zindagi barbaad ki, unhe unke gharon se nikal diya… aur sab apne gande iradon ke liye."
(Protector? You’re the predator of this village. You called innocent women ‘cursed,’ ruined their lives, drove them from their homes… all for your filthy desires.)
Gasps echoed among the villagers.
Women in the crowd
"Yeh… yeh sach hai kya?"
(Is… is this true?)
Ved turned to them, his voice shaking with rage.
“Haan aur yeh baba abhi sabke saamne qubool bhi karega ”
(Yes and this baba will admit this in front of everyone now)
Ved signalled one of his men and the next second Baba was lying on the ground crying in pain…
Ved’s voice turned colder.
“Baba… bol. Sabke saamne bol ke tune yeh sab apne faayde ke liye kiya.”
(Baba… speak. Say in front of everyone that you did all this for your own gain.)
Baba’s lips quivered.
“Woh… main—”
One of his men yanked Baba’s hair back, forcing him to face the crowd.
Ved shouted again
"BOL!"
Baba broke and finally admitted
“Haan! Maine jhoot bola… maine paise ke liye, logon ko dara ke unki zameen, unka sona, unke izzat ka faayda uthaya!”
(Yes! I lied… I took money, scared people, took their land, their gold, their dignity!)
The crowd erupted in gasps, shouts and curses.
Ved stepped aside.
“Aaj tum sab iska faisla karo.”
(Today, you all decide his fate.)
A woman stepped forward ... .her face weathered but her eyes fierce.
"Jhooth? Jab tune mujhe shraapit kehkar mere pati se alag kar diya tha, tab bhi yeh jhooth tha?"
(Lies? When you called me cursed and separated me from my husband, was that a lie too?)
Another woman came forward, her voice breaking.
"Tune meri godh sukhai… mere bache mujhse cheen liye."
(You dried my lap… you took my children from me.)
Another joined in tears in her eyes.
"Isne kaha main paap ka saaya hoon… main to bas ek laachar thi!"
(He said I was a shadow of sin… I was just helpless!)
One by one, the women stepped forward, their voices rising….each testimony heavier than the last.
Ved spoke looking at those women
“Yeh aap sab ka gunehgar hai..Isse saza bhi aap hi dijiye..”
(He is your culprit… You should be the one to punish him..)
One by one, the women came forward.
The first slapped him so hard his cheek turned red.
“Yeh meri maa ke aansuon ka jawab hai!”
(This is for my mother’s tears!)
Another threw a handful of mud in his face.
“Yeh teri asliyat ka rang hai!”
(This is the color of your truth!)
An older woman spat at his feet.
“Mere pati ko mujhse door karne ka badla hai yeh!”
(This is revenge for taking my husband away from me!)
Crowd: "Maaro ise! Shraapit tum ho, Baba!"
(Hit him! You are the cursed one, Baba!)
Women picked up small stones, pelting them at Baba as he stumbled back, bleeding. His cries of pain were drowned by the roars of the crowd.
Ved’s voice cut through the chaos.
"Aaj se, koi aur tumhari tarah kisi aurat ko apmaanit karne ki himmat nahin karega."
(From today, no one like you will ever dare to insult a woman again.)
The villagers dragged Baba to the center of the courtyard, tying him to a wooden pole. The villagers circled around, their faces lit with righteous fury.
Baba whimpered.
“ Thakur Sahab… maaf kar dijiye… main aapke pair pakadta hoon.”
(Thakur Shahab.. please forgive me.. i beg you...)
Ved stood in front of him with cold eyes.
“Maafi? Tu un auraton ke aansu wapas laa sakta hai? Unka bikhra hua jeevan theek kar sakta hai?"
(Forgiveness? Can you bring back those women’s tears? Can you fix their broken lives?)
Baba shook his head sobbing.
Ved straightened looking at the villagers.
“Koi bhi paapi jab tak zinda hota hai… uski saans aur zulm dono chalti rehti hai. Aaj yeh khatm hoga.”
(As long as a sinner lives, his breath and his crimes continue. Tonight, this ends.)
The men tied Baba to a wooden post. Oil was poured over him, the scent heavy in the air.
Baba’s screams echoed but Ved’s expression didn’t change.
"Yeh un sab ke liye hai… jo teri wajah se andhere mein zindagi jeene pe majboor hue."
(This is for all those who were forced to live in darkness because of you.)
A burning log was thrown and flames roared, swallowing the cries into the night. Ved didn’t look away…. not until silence replaced the fire’s crackle.
Arjun stood beside him and silently held his shoulder.
—--------
Ved’s jeep stopped outside Vedita’s home. He quietly stepped down, glancing up at the modest two-storey house as memories from earlier that evening flashed through his mind.
Arjun followed behind him carrying his medical bag.
Just as Ved lifted his hand to knock, the door swung open.
Vishal looked annoyed seeing him
“App…phirse?
(You again?)
His voice halted mid-sentence the moment he saw Ved standing there and beside him, Arjun with calm and serious demeanour
Ved spoke softly
“ Woh…main Arjun ko laaya tha..woh ek doctor hai.. Main chahta tha woh ek baar Vedita ko jaanch le.
(I brought Arjun... he’s a doctor. I just want him to check Vedita once... to be sure she’s okay.)
Vishal looked at him for a long moment, torn between anger and concern. Then, silently, he stepped aside.
The house was dimly lit inside. Faint sobs echoed from one of the rooms. It pierced through Ved’s chest like a needle.
From the room, Vedita’s cries grew louder.
Her bhabhi sat by her trying to console her by gently patting her back and whispering lovingly
“Bas beta, sab theek hai... ro mat.”
(Enough child, everything is fine…Don't cry)
But Vedita clutched her knees to her chest, trembling. Her eyes were swollen with tears.
Her brother stood outside the room, not wanting to push her boundaries. His fists clenched and eyes full of helplessness.
Ved again said to him
“Please…usse madad chahiye.. Ek baar Arjun ko dekhne dijiye… Puri jaanch nahi bas dekh ke ki kahi kuch khatre ki baat na ho”
(Please... she needs help. Let Arjun just check her once. Not a proper check-up... just... make sure nothing's serious.
Vishal gave a tight nod.
“Main khud ek adhyapak hu… Samjhta hu.. jaiye aap andar”
(I’m a teacher myself... I understand…You can go inside)
Ved slowly entered the room with Arjun.
Vedita flinched the moment she saw a stranger and tried to back away.
Her bhabhi stood up looking at them.
“Woh ek baar Vedita ki jaanch karni hai.. kya aap kuch der bahar intezaar kar sakti hai”
(Actually Vedita needs to get checked once.. Can you please wait outside?)
Vedita panicked listening to this
“Nahi... mujhe koi nahi chhooyega!”
(No…nobody will touch me.)
Arjun stepped back instantly raising his hands in surrender.
Ved assured her bhabhi and she left. He closed the door behind him and turned to her slowly. His voice was gentle, like a lullaby.
Ved kneeled beside her
“Vedita... main hoon. Dekh... sirf main. Arjun kuch nahi karega... bas dekh lega... thik hai ? Tujhe dard ho raha hoga toh dekhna zaroori hai, baccha.”
(Vedita…it's me…Look.. only me. Arjun won't do anything.. he'll just see…ok? You might be feeling pain so it's important, baccha)
She shook her head rapidly, still crying.
Ved moved closer and gently held her trembling form in his arms. She stiffened at first but slowly leaned into his familiar presence.
Ved whispered to her lovingly
“Tumhe kuch nahi hoga... main hoon na. Arjun sirf check karega... bas ek baar. Tum bahadur ho na Vedita... please?”
(Nothing will happen to you…I'm here na. Arjun will only check.. just once. Vedita, you're brave,right…please?)
Her sobs quietened a little. After a long pause, she gave a tiny nod. Her grip on Ved tightening and she buried her face in his neck…
Arjun was surprised to see the softer side of Ved with her . He knelt beside them, respectful and cautious.
He gently examined her . There were no visible bruises, no signs of physical harm. Her breathing had evened out and her pulse was normal though fast.
Arjun then said to Ved
“She’s okay physically... just shaken. Panic attack most probably. She needs rest and emotional support.”
Ved nodded, brushing a damp strand of hair from Vedita’s face. Her eyes were glassy though but slowly calming... because he was there.
Ved’s shoulders loosened slightly.
“Thank god”
Arjun gave him a look… one of understanding and quietly moved to the far side of the room, pretending to busy himself with his phone, giving them privacy.
Ved made her look at him and spoke
“Tujhe pata bhi hai… tune mujhe kitna dara diya.”
(Do you know how much you scared me?)
Vedita blinked up at him. Her voice barely a whisper.
“Main… main bas… bahut dar gayi thi.”
(I..i just got frightened so much)
He leaned closer towards her face making her heart beat wildly. His forehead almost touched hers.
“Aur tumhare is dar ko khatam karne ke liye… main duniya jala sakta hoon. Chinta mat karo…jinn haathon ne tujhe chua unhe duniya se bida kar diya maine”
(And to end your fear…I can burn this world. Don't worry… I have sent those hands out of this world which dared to touch you)
Her breath caught in her throat. She didn’t reply but her fingers slowly clutched hi
s kurta… not to stop him… but to keep him close.
The world outside that small room fell away. It was just her uneven breaths. His steady presence and the unspoken promise burning between them.
That's it for today
• Did you like the punishment that was given to Baba?
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