Books and ME.

My Experience with Khaki Files

How would it sound when you realise that the crime thriller you are reading is true? I know it's adventurous. But deep down I felt a bit disturbed realising that these incidents happen regularly but most of the time we don't come to know about it. Thanks to our police for it.

This week, I would be writing about such a book. The book is called 'The Khaki Files.' It is written by the former commissioner of Delhi, Mr Neeraj Kumar. Mr Kumar had donned many responsibilities during his service, and have successfully carried out his duties. This book talks about some of the most infamous cases and some cases which escaped the limelight of the media.

Mr Kumar has been into several departments during his illustrious career and the cases described in the books are a living example of him on how he tackled some of the tough cases during that time. He was under constant surveillance of the media and the people when any case used to come under him. But that never pressurised him and he worked out the details as per the procedure and had successfully solved the cases.

'Khaki files' talk about such cases. The book is a collection of nine original cases spread across India. All the cases mentioned in the book are different and it would amaze you as to how crime occurs in our country and how the police and our special forces handle these types of crisis. I had heard Mr Neeraj Kumar in the Jaipur Literature Festival, 2020 and was highly influenced by the way the cases were handled and solved. The best part was he was a part and more he leads the teams in some infamous cases to success.

Let me talk about the unique names given to each chapter and how it is relevant to the case. Every story has a name which would strike as something different, but when you read the story, you take to a unique path and that amazes you. Stories like 'The Da Lakhvi Code' or 'The Goan Rhapsody' or 'Moon-gazer' or 'What the doctor ordered'. The names would take your thought process to a different level, but when you read it, you would like the premises.

I would talk about some of my personal favourites among the nine stories.

'The Da Lakhvi Code' is my personal favourite. The story takes you into a memorable journey of puzzles and into the world of numbers and alphabets. A serious terror attack but the details are hidden in a puzzle. What more a crime story lover would want from a story? 

'What the Doctor arrived' is another classic. Another terror threat, but the details lie somewhere in Kashmir. A doctor plays an important role in it. A perfect classy police investigative thriller.

'Devil's Advocate' is more of a tale of remorse and forgiveness. The story takes place in the famous Tihar Jail where Neeraj Kumar was posted for a while where he meets a dreaded criminal. A lawyer who was a friend and acquaintance of Neeraj Kumar. The story is how these three are connected and the ending is emotional, and it would move you for sure.

'Story of their assassins' is one of an unconventional story where a unique kind of crime was planned with an angle of media vs ruling party. The beauty of the story is the way it slowly blends and connects the dots to other stories. The agenda is horrifying, but the presence of mind of our Indian police foiled the case and helped a major disaster which would affect the international relationship between our neighbouring country.

'Moon-gazer' is the most horrifying tale among all the other stories. The story involves around a gang who are spread across the years. They have a horrifying past, and they continue with that dark tradition to date. There are a series of brutal murders all over and they baffle Mr Neeraj but slowly he takes over and gets to the depth of the mystery. It is a bloody tale with a grim history attached to it. I found the story more like a horror tale rather than a crime thriller. 

Just because I have mentioned these stories does not mean others are not that good. The other stories are equally gripping, but as I always say, it is my personal experience regarding reading this book. 'Night of Shame' is literally one of the biggest blots on our woman's safety. It always brings tears in my eyes when I read that, and I would really appreciate the way Delhi police handled the case and solved it within record time. Today, as I am writing about it, I am happy that the law hung the culprits to death but still, a bit of sadness is lingering as the most brutal of the lot is still roaming freely in our country. The reason is he was a juvenile during the night he committed this heinous crime. Does he deserve to roam free just because of it? Think about it.

Coming back to the book, it is a reflection on how crimes happen in our country and how well our police and special services attend to it. We hear about discrepancies most times, but in this book, that myth has been busted. Mr Kumar is a decorated officer with a track record of solving many successful cases. The book talks about how he was troubled by many people in power and how he tackled those situations. He talks about the challenges he faced and how he managed to find a way out of it. These things are a testimonial to all who find an excuse for a problem arising in their way to success. Yes, you may find that sometimes he does not mention many details regarding the cases. But understand there are certain limitations to what all he could publish for public. But the details mentioned are well enough to understand the case.

At 256 pages, this book is an ultimate page-turner. I finished the book within three days, and it left me wanting for more such cases. I want to read more about such cases and how they solve it. The author even mentions the instances where they failed to catch the clue. So, this book is not just a crime FICTION thriller. This book is a REALITY. If you are interested in knowing about such cases and how they solved it, you should read it.

Until I upload my experience with another book, till then take care, be safe and keep on reading. Cheers.