The evening air in Zakaria Street of Kolkata was alive with a symphony of aromas and spices sizzling in frying pans. The tempting scent of Awadhi cuisines and delicate fragrance of jasmine wafting from homes celebrating Eid-Al-Fitr. It was April 2024. The city buzzed with the vibrant energy of the festival. Children dashed between stalls clutching colourful balloons and sweets, while families gathered in small clusters sharing laughter and stories. Amid this festive chaos a sleek black SUV pulled up near a narrow alley. The door swung open and a constable stepped out closing it with a soft thud behind him. His boots clicked sharply against the undulated pavement as he walked toward a small group of police officers patrolling the street. "Inspector Roy, you really going to rag the new recruit tonight?" chuckled a senior officer with an amusement dancing in his voice. Inspector Roy grinned with a mischievous glint in his eyes as he nudged the young constable beside him. "Come on, Sharma. You need to learn the ropes. At this hour we keep an eye out for pimps lurking around the jail visitors' area. You know how it is! Young women who are often with little or no money but desperate to help their loved ones get bail. These predators spot them and push them into terrible situations like prostitution." Sharma swallowed lumps nervously but nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll keep my eyes peeled." Nearby a squirrel scampered up a tree clutching a walnut as if it was preparing for an unseen winter. The officers' conversation shifted to lighter topics like the best street food stalls or the upcoming cricket match and the latest bizarre discoveries made by railway staff. Rumours were swirling that the railways had found money stashed in the most unexpected places like from hidden compartments in old trains to buried caches along the tracks. Suddenly the crackling voice of a dispatcher burst through the walkietalkie shattering the jovial mood. "Lal Bazar to all SHOs and officers in the vicinity. Immediate assistance required at Behala, S.N. Chatterjee Road. Repeat….Behala, S.N. Chatterjee Road. Urgent." The officers exchanged quick glances. Their smiles evaporating. Inspector Roy's tone turned serious. "Looks like duty calls, everyone. Let's move." Across the city in a crowded resto-bar dimly lit by flickering neon signs patrons were drawn to a television screen blaring urgent news. The headline flashed in bold letters. "This Incident Has Put Mother and Son Relations to Shame." The footage recorded just an hour earlier gripped everyone's attention. Even the most inebriated leaned forward with their slurred and glazed eyes fixed on the screen, whispering in hushed tones. In the video police constables combed through an expansive apartment, their flashlights cutting through the shadows. The camera weaved through the tense scene as officers meticulously searched every corner. Standing outside the infamous Behala apartment, a poised female news reporter spoke with practiced calm in her as usual steady and firm voice yet charged with urgency. "Good evening, viewers. I'm Rituparna Sen reporting live from Behala, where an extraordinary investigation is underway. Dr. Asmee Deshmukh, a senior physician from the prestigious Jasubhoy Jirawala Hospital in Mumbai has arrived in Kolkata to assist local authorities. She is currently inspecting this apartment alongside several police constables." The camera panned to 'Dr.Deshmukh, a woman in her mid-forties clad in a crisp white coat. Her eyes scanned the room with clinical precision with her calm demeanour yet intense. "Details remain scarce but sources reveal that this investigation has sent shockwaves through the city challenging societal norms and shaking the very foundation of familial trust. Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on this developing story." In the resto-bar the crowd murmured. Some shaking their heads in disbelief. "Mother and son? What could have happened?" one man slurred with his voice barely audible. A woman beside him whispered, "It's unheard of…something so dark within a family." Outside the night deepened and the city's usual hum faded into a heavy silence as if Kolkata itself was holding its breath bracing for the revelations to come.