The Girl in Room 105 – Short Story

Hi Guys, this is my first attempt to write on a Book…? So consider that before you start reading. During Lockdown, I have developed a healthy habit of reading books. Thankfully, all Books stocked in my book shelve are amazing so Reading is more fun. Just finished reading? Chetan Bhagat?s ?Girl in Room 105? ? An unlove story as he has mentioned it or a thriller love story or simple Crime Story. Whatever, you call it.

The main characters in this Novel are Keshav Rajpurohit – an IITIAN who works as a teacher in  JEE Tuition Center called ?Chandan Classes?,  Zara Lone ? Keshav?s ex-girlfriend who is pursuing her PHD in IIT whom Keshav simply can?t forget & Saurabh Maheshwari ? Keshav?s Friend who works with him in ?Chandan Classes? and who also is Keshav?s Room Partner.

Part 1

The book begins on a backdrop of a 31^st Party thrown by Chandan Classes where Keshav continues to Call & Message Zara even though she continues to ignore him as they have ended their relationship. ?Keshav simply wants Zara back in his life but Zara is now with Raghu who was Keshav?s classmate at IIT & now an upcoming business tycoon & one of the success stories of IIT. ?Because of Zara, Keshav is always disturbed & even drinks alcohol every night to forget her. Keshav?s friend & classmate Saurabh is all upset about this & wants Keshav to get over Zara.

You must be wondering what was the reason for Keshav & Zara?s breakup even after being in a relationship for a long time. The main reason was their families. Keshav?s father who is an advocate & a prant pracharak of RSS in Rajasthan did not want Zara a Kashmiri Muslim girl to be his daughter-in-Law. Keshav?s mother was also of the same opinion even though she was impressed with Zara when she met her for the first time at heir residence in Rajasthan. On the other end, Zara?s father a Kashmiri Muslim based in Delhi gave them a strange option for marriage. He would only accept Keshav as his Son-In-Law if Keshav Converts to the Muslim religion. Both Keshav and Zara wanted their parents to be on their sides but it did not happen in spite of several attempts & they finally broke up.

It is a night before Zara?s birthday & Saurabh convinces Keshav not to call Zara no matter what happens. They both drink together & Keshav under the influence of alcohol does not wish her “Happy Birthday”. However around 3 AM in the morning Keshav gets WhatsApp Message from Zara as to why he did not wish her this year. ?She then sends another message to Keshav that she misses Keshav & life is incomplete without him. She also insists that she wants to meet Keshav now in Room No. 105 in which she resides at IIT. On seeing the message, Keshav immediately rushes to meet Zara in her room along with his friend Saurabh.? Keshav shows Fake ID card to the Security guy & enters the girls’ hostel. He tells Saurabh to wait down for some time & climbs up the mango tree and slides into the window of Zara?s room which she has kept open for him. Keshav had met Zara so many times in her room No. 105 in this manner.

As Keshav enters the room he sees Zara asleep on the bed.? Keshav tries to wake up Zara but she doesn?t respond. After a few moments, Keshav touches her forehead and feels a cold chill. Now he switches on the light and finds that Zara is dead. He is shell shocked & scared.. he immediately calls Saurabh in Zara?s room who is equally scared once he gets to know that Zara is no more. He suggests they run away from the scene. However, Keshav doesn?t agree to this & himself calls the police. He convinces police officer Rana that Zara was already dead when he was in the room to wish her. Keshav now is determined to find the killer & rest is his journey to find justice for Zara

Part 2 ? Quest to find Zara?s Killer

Keshav along with his friend Saurabh now begins his search to find the killer of Zara Lone. ?He informs Zara?s father Safdar Lone & Zara?s Lover & Fiance Raghu who was beaten by goons on the same night Zara was killed and was at Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad. Inspector Rana ?helps him in his quest even though he has arrested Laxman the watchman of the girls’ hostel on the evidence that he was missing from the CCTV footage during the time Zara was killed. However, Keshav comes to know that Laxman did not kill Zara as his WiFi Location at that time was not in Room No. 105 & he was busy surfing the Internet during that time at some other place.

However, due to media hype, Rana keeps Laxman in the custody till Keshav and Saurabh find the real killer.? The next suspect is Professor Saxena (Ph.D. Guide) who tries to harass Zara by asking her for favors. However, after tracking Pro. Saxena both Keshav ?& Saurabh become sure that Saxena had a limp and couldn?t climb a Mango Tree to Kill Zara.

Part 3 ? Srinagar (Kashmir)

Keshav?s next suspect is Sikander, Zara?s step-brother who is a part of a Terrorist Group in Kashmir Called TEJ. Keshav calls for help from Zara?s father and checks Zara?s room in her Delhi home. He finds a locker with Gunpowder, Pregnancy Kits & an OPPO mobile phone with a Pakistani SIM Card. He also finds a Selfie of Sikander with a gun along with Zara who appears to be smiling in the picture. Keshav now starts to think from a different angle & meets Sikander at Delhi. When he confronts Sikandar about his TEJ connection Sikander gets afraid and threatens them with a gun and runs away.

Now Keshav & Saurabh head to Srinagar the place where Zara belongs and try to reach Sikander through his mother in Srinagar. Sikander meets them again in Kashmir and explains about the Pakistan sim Card which Zara took during her Karachi literature Trip Visit & tries to convince them that he did not kill his Zara ?Aapa? who was like a mother to Sikander. However, Keshav is still not convinced and threatens Sikander that he will produce all the evidence against him to Delhi police. Keshav is almost convinced that Sikander killed his sister in the fear that she will inform about his Terrorist connection to the police. However, next day Sikander kills himself, and through a message recorded before his death, Keshav gets convinced that he did not kill Zara. Keshav realizes his mistake of doubting Sikander and almost decides to back out from the case.

However, his friend Saurabh convinces him not to give up & check out about the expensive jewelry which was also in Zara?s locker when they checked her house in Delhi. After searching with few jewelry shops in Srinagar they find that the expensive Jewellery was purchased by an army officer named Faiz in Kashmir & who is also a family friend of Zara. Saurabh & Keshav meet Faiz in Kashmir & finds out that his wife & two kids stay in Dubai most of the time & when Faiz comes to Delhi they come to stay with him at his Army Apartment in Delhi.

Now, Keshav & Saurabh raids Faiz’s house in Delhi. They find some pregnancy kits & also a picture of Faiz with Zara taken at Srinagar. Keshav is now convinced that both Faiz & Zara had an affair. Now they cross-check the pregnancy kit they found at Zara?s Delhi home and they find that pregnancy kit found at Faiz house and Zara?s Delhi home had been bought from the same chemist. Saurabh goes through the search histories of Faiz?s Computer related to abortion & divorce.? Keshav is now convinced that Faiz made Zara pregnant & killed her in guilt. Keshav by taking Zara?s father Safdar Lone in confidence arranges a dinner meeting of people close to Zara on the occasion of Zara?s 100th day of death. Keshav’s plan is that killer will be at the dinner party & he will pressurize the killer to confess about why he killed Zara. .

The Twist

The story now takes an unexpected Twist. Just a few days before Keshav plans to announce the killer at the dinner meet he goes on a short trip to Hyderabad & this is when he realizes that he was suspecting the wrong person.

So who is the Real Killer .. ???Sorry, Guys can?t disclose it here as it will be an injustice to the Book & the author. You can grab a copy of the Book once Lockdown & Corona things go away or if Books is available Online you can order the Same.