Chhinnamastar Abhishap

Chhinnamastar Abhishap is a Bengali novel by Satyajit Ray featuring private detective Feluda.

Plot summary

Feluda and his two associates Topshe and Jatayu decide to visit Hazaribagh, a town situated in Jharkhand (erstwhile Bihar), India. On their way, they meet a middle aged gentleman who introduces himself as one Preetindra Choudhury working in an electronics company. His car went out of order and requests a lift to Hazaribagh. Later it is known that Preetindra is the youngest son of an established retired advocate Mahesh Choudhury.Mahesh Choudhury's eldest son Arunendra is a Kolkata based

On reaching Hazaribagh, they come to know that the tiger of the circus company performing in the town has run away. Feluda and co. settle in the empty home of one of Feluda's former clients. The home is only a stone's throw away from Mahesh Choudhury's home. Feluda meets the owner of the circus company as well as the first ring master of the fled away tiger. The ringmaster Karandikar blames appointment of a second ring master behind tiger's escape.

Next day, Feluda meets Mahesh Choudhury and learns that his second son went away from his home many years ago. The entire Choudhury family goes for picnic to Rajarappa where Feluda and co. also accompany. At the picnic spot, Mahesh Choudhury mysteriously becomes unconscious and falls flat on the ground and later dies.

Feluda starts investigation and comes to know that although Mahesh Choudhury was soft and gentle during his old age, he was a rather short tempered man in his earlier times. Many years ago, at the height of his anger, one day he murdered his watchman. However, Arunedra became the witness of the offence. But this fact was not known to mahesh Choudhury. Mahesh Choudhury however regretted for the murder during whole period of his rest of the life.

On the day of picnic, Arunendra, reminds Mahesh Choudhury of his crime at which Mahesh Choudhury breaks up and collapses. Arunendra remindes Mahesh Choudhury of the incident as he is afraid that Mahesh Choudhury would make a new will and give all his share to Beerendra Chowdhury, his second son.

Feluda also knows that the first ringmaster Karandikar is actually the second son of Mahesh Choudhury, Beerendra.