Original subtitles

You can keep it, dear.

Is there any need for this photo, Narayanan?

We all know Ujjwalan, don't we?

But that's not the norm, is it?

Let me be clear about one thing.

Snehalatha is 25 years old now.

She took the bank test three times and failed every time.

Apart from going out to buy eyeliner, powder, and makeup,

she's pretty much useless.

Dad!

So at the very least, the groom should have a job, right?

Or we'll end up looking after their family.

Don't worry about that.

Thanks to the blessings of the Plaachikkaavu Goddess,

my ancestors left enough for Ujjwalan and Snehalatha

to live off for generations.

That's how Leela and I are living comfortably.

Isn't that right?

My only prayer is to live, eat, and never work.

Dear Goddess!

Money isn't everything, Narayanan.

Even the people in this village don't think highly of him.

And as you know,

even at this age,

he's scared to step out alone at night.

How's a guy like that going to take care of a girl?

Or a family for that matter?

We know that.

Once he gets married and takes on responsibility, his fear will go away.

And just so you know, Ashokan,

he's not sitting at home jobless like you said.

He's running an excellent library, actually.

-Isn't that right? -Yeah!

Not even a soul goes near that library!

It's got nothing but a few detective novels.

No one can say when it is open.

And when it does,

it's only at noon, at his own sweet convenience!

So what?

He shuts the shop early. Why don't you talk about that?

-Exactly! -But there is one good thing,

if anyone loses their pot, kettle, or even a bucket, he'll find it for them!

He'll even settle boundary disputes.

What else is he even good for?

Stop rambling and wasting our time.

Let me ask her.

Tell me, dear.

What's your decision?

Ujjwalan is super.

See!

-She is okay with it. -Of course.

Also, Ashokan…

After they get married,

they both will get their act together.

Right?

I need to think, Narayanan.

That's fine. We have plenty of time.

Also, Ashokan,

Ujjwalan doesn't just handle petty coconut thefts

and settle boundary disputes, you know!

In his own capacity, he's doing what he can to help the Plaachikkaavu police.

That's no small feat, right?

Plaachikkaavu Police…

They're the biggest bunch of idiots on the planet.

And the top idiot of them all…

SI Sachin.

Greetings.

This is Plaachikkaavu.

I am here with you to share some of my experiences

at the 50th birthday celebration of this village.

-Not good… -Sir.

Sir, that was great. You looked just like Suresh Gopi.

Yes…

Definitely like Suresh Gopi.

But still, not quite satisfied with it.

But, sir…

-the interview's tomorrow. -Yes, it is.

You can study for it today

and say it better tomorrow, right?

But you know, after all,

it is the 50th anniversary of our village.

So every word we say should send goosebumps

through every little dwelling in Plaachikkaavu.

Sir, look here.

-What's that? -Goosebumps.

Yeah, real ones. Goosebumps!

Kuttanpillai.

Are you cracking jokes now that retirement is near?

Walk.

Hey, Pradeep, not finished yet?

-Almost done. -Come on, do it.

Listen, if Ujjwalan's around the market,

don't mention anything about our interview.

Got it? Or he'll pitch a tent right here.

-He's not at the market, sir. -Then?

He's on that Aravindan chain theft case.

-Chain theft? -Yeah!

When did all this happen?

What good will it do if we know?

That's why we didn't know.

That's also true.

Easy.

Yes!

Aravindan!

The chain wasn't stolen.

It's right here in the house.

Aravindan!

-Where's the chain? -I don't know…

-Hey, it's not him. -Then?

Don't jump the gun. Come on. Follow.

Come on.

You little mischievous girl!

Aravindan.

Cats have this one trait.

They grab anything that glitters.

As soon as I entered the room,

I felt an outsider's presence.

And when I saw her footprints under the bed…

that was my first catch in this case.

So, what about the chain, Ujjwalan?

It's beneath those coconuts.

Take it.

I'm taking her.

Sorry, bro.

Oh…

Straight, straight. Keep your hand straight.

-Master, has the bus to Neelimalayar left? -I don't know.

Rascal! Why so much attitude!

Hey! Gautham and Divya!

Which universe are you in?

It's the weekend, right?

Thought we'd go to our hometown.

It's Neelimalayar Festival.

-And I'm sponsoring the whole thing. -That's great.

Ratheesh, are you also going to the festival?

Do I look like someone going to the festival?

The bus is here. Alright, we're off.

So it's a competition then. Where's it?

Manchadikadu.

Oh, okay. Fail spectacularly and come.

Get lost, you dog!

-Same to you, dog! -This way, get in.

Ujjwalan, my missing watch…

Don't worry about anything. Go on!

SHERLOCK LIBRARY

Oh, dear mother.

Ujjwalan.

What's it, Snehalatha?

I'm okay with it.

With what?

For our marriage.

Marriage?!

Says who?

Oh, dear.

Uncle Narayanan and your mother had come home.

My dad wasn't interested at all.

But I'm okay.

What are you glaring at? Come home!

You've grown as big as a bull.

How long will you walk around like this?

-What's wrong with his walk? -Absolutely nothing.

It's exactly like yours.

Now eat my head!

If I don't eat your head, whose should I?

You're the one responsible

for turning him into this mess.

-Mom. -What?

You must understand one thing.

It's not some joke that I'm helping the people and the police here.

-Do you know what they see me as? -What?

As the savior of this village.

-Good boy. -Sit down.

Sit down.

-I said, sit down. -Sit.

So, Mr. Savior, could you please go and switch off the light in the veranda?

-By myself? -Yes, by yourself.

-At this time of night? -Yes.

As if! My dog would go!

Dad, go.

Dad…

I'm fed up with these two.

-Mom… -Get lost.

Mom…

for now, I'm investigating these petty cases like theft.

But tomorrow…

who knows, there might be a case

that will change my fate and this village's fate.

Who knows?

Sure thing.

Oh, no, Mom!

Move…

POLICE STATION

Sir, no need to crowd together. Everyone is visible.

We know.

-Kuttan, no, no. -Yes, yes.

Sir, we're rolling.

Greetings.

Since 1965,

among the model police stations in Kerala,

our station has been number one.

This is Plaachikkaavu, our very own village.

Today is our village's 50th birthday.

This village stands strong

as a symbol of goodness and happiness.

And the main reason for that

is its people.

Here, everyone knows one another.

The love and respect we have for one another.

To be honest, we could say there's no work for us here.

Exactly.

Our station has the lowest crime rate.

All we have

is just a small little thief called Anthikurudan

and his tiny little thefts.

A handful of areca nuts, a bunch of coconuts,

a few plantains…

How can you even file an FIR for all that?

Of course, you can't.

And even if he does something,

we catch him red-handed with the loot.

Don't let Ujjwalan hear this.

Oh, not a scarecrow.

Kids these days and their fashion.

Even 50 years from now,

Plaachikkaavu will continue to go forward

with the same peace and harmony, it has now.

Isn't that right, Kuttan?

Definitely, where else will it go?

What's he doing? Move away!

There.

As long as my troops and I are here,

we will uphold the kindness

and peace in this village.

This is SI Sachin and his team's assurance.

-No! -Dad…

Dad?

-Kuttanpillai… -Sir?

It's a murder.

Oh God!

Sir…

Looks like someone saw your interview yesterday

and took it as a challenge.

Yeah, he couldn't stop bragging.

Shut up, will you!

Even if that's not the case, people will say it is.

Look around, everyone's scared.

We need to catch the culprit immediately.

Also, it's the first murder in our village.

Sir…

do you…

Do you know what we're supposed to do?

As for the procedures…

I've absolutely no clue.

-What are we going to do, sir? -No clue?

Can one of you go and call…

-Ujjwalan? -Okay.

LEELAVILASAM

Ujjwalan!

My heroes.

Give me the power.

It's go time!

Remove that cloth.

Take it off.

Saw?

Just a minute.

What happened?

Move the crowd away from the crime scene.

-Ajayan, ask the people to move away. -Okay, sir.

Enough now. Step aside, everyone.

I feel like my head's spinning. Hold onto me.

Are you okay?

Oh, no.

Oh, you got scared seeing the blood.

It's okay.

-What a brutal death. -Exactly.

His brain looks like it got turned into a floral carpet.

Who saw the body first?

-Body… Dakshayini. -And where's she?

She's in the hospital. She fainted!

That's why I brought the crowd along. I was scared too.

-Did you inform the forensic? -I'll inform the forensic now.

-Kuttan! -No, no need.

Not right now.

After I say so.

What do we do next?

Move. Come with me.

The dawn is breakin' in With a brand new game

Stolen peace and unforeseen escapes

Born inside a broken world, insane

Fallen pieces formin' a reckless image

The fire is a broken light

Burnin' up inside a blindin' night

Imma flame above a silent fright

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Oh, I feel like I'm coming back alive

Mirror on the wall, time to be the man that you hide!

Oh, I feel like I'm coming back alive

Mirror on the wall, time to be the man that you hide!

Ujjwalan.

What do you think?

There are marks on the body,

suggesting the use of a hammer or a similar object,

especially on the forehead.

The time on Ashokan's watch had stopped at around 9:00 p.m.

The murder likely happened around that time.

Other than that,

there are no signs of a struggle.

So…

the first hit must have come from behind.

Step aside.

This bidi…

The biggest smoker in all of Plaachikkaavu.

Bidi…

And then this Paragon slipper.

Size nine.

I wore this to the temple

for the last festival.

Someone flicked it from there.

He's the one behind this murder.

Who's that?

Anthikurudan.

Get down, you!

Are you coming down or should I come up?

Come down!

Come on, man!

So, you're scared of me.

Why are the villagers treating me like royalty today?

So many people just to watch me steal?

What's the problem, sir?

You need to come to the station.

I'll be there in the evening.

Not in the evening.

Right now.

What's the reason, sir?

Murder.

For murdering coconuts?!

Not coconuts!

A human being.

Actual murder?!

Who? Why?

Ashokan. Our very own Ashokan.

Just because that idiot said something, how can a fool like you, sir, believe it?

-Who are you calling an idiot? -Dad, no!

We've got solid proof against you.

Give that here.

Whose is this, huh?

-It's yours. -Yes, the one you flicked.

Pass me the next item.

Whose is this?

That's mine.

That's it. Lock him up!

Take him. Arrest him.

-Lock him up. -Sir…

We found these things near Ashokan's body.

-So? -What do you mean by "so"?

There are other reasons too. Bank heist.

I don't even know what that is.

I mean bank robbery.

Oh, I did that.

He foiled your bank robbery attempt.

He also put an end to your old arrack business.

Isn't that enough reason to hold a grudge against someone?

That's more than enough.

Get lost, man! Sir, he's lying.

What can we do? We don't have anyone else.

Try to understand our emotions. Come on!

Sir, I am only responsible for the coconut murder!

He thinks he can mess with us!

No need for applause.

Go on! Clap, clap!

Beyond Neptune's shadow

Where even the underworld draws a line

A land clings to the edge Fallen off the map

Out of network

Centuries behind

This land survives

Stumbling, crashing, rushing ahead… Who's to say where?

Restless, wandering souls

Caught in a never-ending loop

They drift around here

Even if each soul

Arrives burdened like a mountain

Inside their brains

No spark, no story

Divakaran's head is something else!

There's the big man

Spinning his grand tales

While the crowd, wide-eyed and stunned Clapping hands, clasping fingers

Beyond reason and imagination

As if they had seen it with their own eyes

They swallowed every word… Who's to say why?

Beyond Neptune's shadow

Where even the underworld draws a line

A land clings to the edge Fallen off the map

As Mary was bathing,

a shadow appeared from behind the curtain.

A man approaches, wielding a sharp knife in his hands.

Then stab after stab after stab!

Mary's lifeless body lies bathed in blood.

Brutal!

Who's that?

I feel like I've seen him somewhere!

Kurian!

Oh God, Korean Kurian!

Were you all waiting for me?

Hey! Not a chance.

Shall we go to the club?

Yes, we can.

It gets dark quickly around here, right?

It's safe.

I don't usually go out at this time.

Only because you're here today.

You know what's been happening here, right?

I was shocked when I heard about Ashokan.

Does this kind of thing really happen in our village?

I was shocked too.

But we locked him up right away.

No need to be scared now.

Why would I be scared?

You're the one afraid to go out at night!

Forget that! When are you going back?

I'm not going back to Korea.

I'm thinking I'll ask for Malini's hand and just settle down here.

What do you think, Ujjwalan?

Why does my opinion matter?

First, find out what she thinks!

-She's already okay. -Really?

Lately, she has been acting weird…

Why are you gossiping like the other villagers?

She's not that kind of girl.

I'm only saying this for your own good.

-Aunt. -Oh, it's you Ujjwalan!

I heard your goat went missing.

Yes, Ujjwalan.

Where did you last see this goat?

This morning Beeran Ikka tied it behind our house.

When I went to give water, it was gone.

Oh!

Oh, my God!

He's back!

Police confirm that Anthikurudan, who was arrested for

the school teacher, Ashokan's murder, has escaped from jail.

Police believe the killer is still hiding in the Plaachikkaavu area.

Those venturing out at night should exercise extreme caution.

Everyone should remain vigilant.

-Where are you going now? -Just going for a smoke.

How many times must I tell you to quit this damn smoking?

You'll die!

My horoscope says I'll live till 89.

So, no need to worry about me, okay?

I can't believe Malini rejected me!

Look at you, sitting here and crying like a baby.

Let her go if she wants to, Kurian.

I'll find a better match for you than her.

Listen, Kurian…

There are 232 people in this Plaachikkaavu.

Out of that, 40% are women.

That's 93 women.

Only 14 of them are in your age group.

And out of those, only three are five feet tall,

hold a degree, and can speak English.

Take Malini out of the equation, and you're left with two.

Go choose your girl.

Who are those two?

What all do you want to know, you sly fox?

Sir…

-What happened? -What?

Tell me what's going on.

Ujjwalan…

Ujjwalan!

-Ajayan, I'll be right back. -Okay, sir.

Ujjwalan.

Hey.

Stop!

Say something! What are you thinking?

The same person who killed Ashokan did this too.

There are marks on the body and forehead,

possibly from a hammer or some other object.

There's only one difference.

This one is more intense than the first murder.

More wounds too.

Whoever did this took their time

and clearly enjoyed doing it.

Ujjwalan,

Anthikurudan is on the loose, right?

Did he also do this?

No, it's not him.

Even though Ashokan and Divakaran are both locals,

they weren't particularly close.

That's why I don't think

these murders were driven by personal vengeance.

There's a killer in this village who targets people alone at night

and slaughters them like an animal.

It could be a serial killer.

Just thinking about it makes my hands and legs shiver.

A murder like this happened right next to us.

It's scary just thinking about getting home safe and sound.

We'd better take care of ourselves.

Relying on these cops hanging on to Ujjwalan's tail

won't help us in any way.

Shall we call our Member and see if he can help?

You mean Varkey?

-He'll definitely figure out something. -Exactly.

He's our only hope.

If there's anyone in this village, who can get things done,

it's our Varkey.

Let's go and see him.

-You're right. -You're right.

Sir, the main problem is that

our station doesn't have the equipment

needed to investigate a murder like this.

Nor the capability!

It's not just about facilities.

Many stations have fewer resources than us

and still don't face this kind of a mess.

-What did you bring? -All good snacks.

Got them from Raghu's tea shop.

Really good. Sir, would you like one?

Sir,

what I was trying to say is--

I don't want to hear your explanations.

A special investigation team is coming.

They'll be taking over the case.

Sir, don't you trust my abilities?

-No. -No?

Just support them with whatever local help they need.

Sir.

Who's handling the investigation, sir?

Are you high or something?

Did you take a hit?

I didn't take anything.

Is he a damn taxi driver?

No one will make a scene. Stay calm. Sir has arrived.

Dear villagers,

-to put an end -Didn't Ujjwalan come?

-to the ongoing wave of terror, -He's still after that Paathumma's goat.

Shambu sir and his team have arrived from the city.

All I'm saying is,

if we need anything, we just need to go to Shambu sir.

I invite Shambu sir to say a few words.

As far as I know,

this is the first time that murders have happened in Plaachikkaavu.

-Kunchacko. -John Varkey.

-And on top of that, a double murder. -Boban.

So I completely understand your fear.

Someone's been using brute force to attack

and kill people who are out alone at night.

Back in 1957, there was a similar case in America.

The people there gave that killer a name.

"The Boogeyman."

And now, we've got our own Boogeyman here.

What I mean by the Boogeyman is…

Remember that old story we used to tell kids?

About a "Kokkachi" that comes to take away children

who don't eat their food?

Just like that, Boogeyman is a name given

to a killer who roams around at night.

Back then in America,

they never managed to catch their Boogeyman.

But we won't leave until we catch our Boogeyman.

SHAMBU MAHADEV AND TEAM PLAACHIKKAAVU

That's the firm promise I made before coming here.

You heard that, right?

I may be a new face to you,

but I've been to this village many times before.

Though I never stayed long,

I always liked this village.

And its people.

So when I heard what was happening here,

I personally requested to take up this case.

From today, you can sleep peacefully.

My team and I

will be staying here for a few days.

That's my word.

There, take a good look!

Sir, the police quarters are quite basic.

Just a small room.

Might be perfect for your team members, sir.

So, as per Gopi sir's request, I've arranged a house for you.

Shall we head there, freshen up,

-and then go to the station, sir? -No, no.

We don't have time to waste.

Let's go straight to the station.

POLICE STATION

WATCH OUT FOR HIM! MISSING

Sir, since 1965,

we've been ranked first among the model police stations in Kerala.

Based on our initial investigation,

we believed the first murder was committed by Anthikurudan.

But when the second murder happened, we realized it wasn't Anthikurudan.

And how exactly did you come to that conclusion?

Sir, how we figured out it's not Anthikurudan…

If you ask how…

Forget it, never mind.

We just got here.

We'll handle the investigation and find the killer.

Anthikurudan is still a suspect.

In fact,

everyone in this village is.

Give me the case file. I want to go through it in detail.

Sir.

Also, Sachin,

make sure all roads leading out of this village are under surveillance.

I want exact information on who's coming in and going out.

Like I said earlier,

the killer targets people who are out alone at night.

So, from now on,

all shops and establishments must close by 6:30 p.m.,

and everyone should be home by 7:30 p.m.

After that, no one should be left alone at any time, anywhere.

If it's really urgent,

people must inform us before stepping out.

Make sure the villagers are informed about all this immediately.

The bananas in Korea are slightly bigger.

-Raghu, one tea, please. -Yeah.

Welcome to Plaachikkaavu Vision. I am Jomon. Today's top news.

The Plaachikkaavu double murder case takes a new turn.

Investigation now led by CI Shambu Mahadev.

Ujjwalan, a new officer has taken charge.

He just left from here.

What an entry!

He showed up and impressed the whole village in no time.

I get the feeling he'll crack the case as well.

Let him crack it first!

Ujjwalan…

Don't be so dismissive, my dear.

-What's wrong with this guy? -These two, he and Sachin,

all they've done is run after small crooks like Anthikurudan.

As if this loudmouth is a district collector!

Now we've got real men here to investigate the case.

Thanks to your little charades,

our Divakaran died just like Ashokan.

Wonder who's next now, Raghu.

You're next!

If you die, it might actually benefit this village.

Correct!

If someone tries to kill me, I know how to defend myself.

I'm not like you, staying home scared to step out at night.

Got it?

Hey, Chandy, sit down.

-Well, what you said isn't right. -What?

Wasn't it Ujjwalan who found your missing bucket?

And not even a thank you from him.

What "thank you"?

You are only good for handling buckets and umbrellas.

This is a murder case.

You need someone who actually knows what they're doing.

Thank God someone like that has finally arrived.

-I'm off! -Ujjwalan, pay before you go!

Now let's see which of these scaredy-cats gets exposed next!

-My dear Chandy. -Isn't it fun!

Can never find anything in this house, dear God!

My sweet Leela, calm down and search peacefully. You'll find it.

How long can I keep searching like this?

I keep things in one place,

and then father and son move them around!

This house is a mess!

Dad, what are you looking for?

The key to your aunt's house.

Key to the aunt's house?

-Is Aunt coming? -No. That new police officer who came?

He's going to be staying at your aunt's house from now on.

-What? -Yes!

Didn't Sachin tell you anything?

-No. -Really?

Looks like he's here.

Give me that key.

Mom, you just got back from work, right?

Get some rest. I'll go give it to him.

Take care.

Thank God! Feels like he's finally starting to understand my struggles.

Yellow car!

What?

Nothing.

Are you Leela's son?

No.

Leela is my mother.

The house is all dusty.

That's normal in locked-up houses around here.

Weekend Blockbusters.

If dust bothers you that much, try finding a dust-free house.

-What? -Nothing.

What's your name?

Ujjwalan.

Ujjwalan Narayanankutty.

I'm Shambu Mahadev.

What do you do?

I'm the officer investigating the double murder here.

Oh, I see!

I heard about that.

Usually, when a case happens in this village,

the police and the locals both call me in.

Why?

Are you the prime suspect here?

Oh, nice joke!

Either way, we won't be needing you anymore.

You know, Mr. Shambu,

actually, there was a lot of pressure for me to join the police too.

I mean, from my family.

But honestly, I don't really believe in the justice system here.

Does this fridge work?

What?

I asked if this fridge works.

Are you asking me?

I'll send my dad. He will fix it.

Come, I'll show you the rest of the house.

Have you solved any murder cases before?

I've solved every case I've investigated.

Same here.

Nice house.

Let me take a shower and freshen up.

It's already late.

I'll look around the rest of the house by myself.

You can go.

So arrogant!

-Ujjwalan… -What?

The house key?

Here.

Is there a good place nearby to jog in the mornings?

There's a field over there. You can run for your life!

I'll make sure you run away from this place!

Stop, stop!

Kuttanpillai, Ajayan, be quick!

Beware of the Boogeyman. Stay alert.

No one should step outside after 6:00 p.m.

-What is this? -Okay.

Avoid unnecessary travel.

Take a step out and your funeral might be next.

-My dad will pay. -Isn't your dad dead?

Children and the elderly, exercise extra caution!

Stick a few here, okay?

I won't stick this here.

-There's no need. -Ujjwalan!

This shop gets some business after 6:00 p.m.

Your curfew will put an end to that too.

What are you doing?

Sachin, give that here.

I'll stick it here.

Why are you glaring like that?

So, how's he?

A waste of manhood.

Shut up, you lot!

He's a great guy.

He dropped by here during his morning run.

He helped me open the store

and even chatted with me for a bit.

Unlike some here who've already hit the rocking chair stage,

lazing around and not even bothering to work.

Mother, were you talking about me?

-Not you, dear. -You nearly scared me there.

But I was talking about someone here.

She was talking about me.

Isn't that Kunusu?

Hey Kunusu!

-Yeah! -Where to?

Shambu sir and his team are doing something interesting in the fields.

What could he possibly be doing out there in the fields?

Why are you asking me?

Aren't you the police here?

Pathetic.

Can you move your muscles out of the way?

How come only I was left out of this investigation?

Maybe because you don't know anything.

They're looking for blood samples after two weeks.

Bloody amateurs.

-Truly pathetic, right? -True.

Even I've got magnifying glasses.

-I just don't carry it around. -I know, man.

Whatever you say,

it's fascinating to watch what he's doing.

-Get lost! -As if!

Two lions chasing the same hunt.

Oh, my goodness!

Gripping!

Thank you, thank you.

Not you. I meant the two of them.

-Two of them? -Sir.

As proper police procedures weren't followed at either crime scene,

the chances of recovering any evidence are extremely low.

Our first task…

is to find the murderer's motive.

And for that, we need to closely examine the victims.

-So, let's start. -Yes, sir.

Attention, honourable residents of Plaachikkaavu.

As per the orders of our newly appointed officer, Shambu Sir,

everyone is kindly requested to return to their homes by 6:00 p.m.

Time peeked in and chickened out

Mind got cold feet

The village bowed in respect

Shop owners and business establishments

are kindly requested to close by 6:00 p.m. and return home.

With a khaki strut in style

And a stick's swing

When you show up to guard us The stars on your shoulders shine bright

If you must go out for any reason,

please inform your very own nearest Plaachikkaavu Police Station beforehand.

This directive is to be strictly followed from today.

O, sleuth in the hat

Hop on your jeep and blaze

In every shady corner you search

May the truth rise through the dust

Mr "Leelavilasam".

Up for two push-ups?

Bum!

-Shambu sir! -Hi!

-Raghu! -Yes?

Heard a bunch of bananas went missing?

Shambu sir found it in the morning itself.

Eyes locked on the goal

He's one in a million

With a never-lose attitude

Rough and tough muscled

You're the one The kids have been waiting for

Their one and only role model!

O, sleuth in the hat

Hop on your jeep and blaze

In every shady corner you search

May the truth rise through the dust

O, sleuth in the hat

Hop on your jeep and blaze

In every shady corner you search

May the truth rise through the dust

What do you think, Sachin?

Nothing much, sir.

Kunchacko Boban?

There are no common factors among the victims,

suggesting the killer likely lacks a personal motive.

When comparing the two murders,

-the modus operandi remains the same. -What…

However, the killer became more effortless in the second murder

The depth and density of the wounds had increased.

Sir.

Looks like we're dealing with a psychopath.

Psychopath.

Ujjwalan!

Do you know what they found out?

-What happened? -Listen…

They're saying there's a psycho on the loose.

The same thing happened in Seoul a long time ago.

We're talking about Plaachikkaavu, not your Seoul!

But still…

The fact that Shambu sir

uncovered so much in just a few days…

What's this?

Psychopath!

Look at you, smarty pants!

You also knew about it?

He's only just reached here?

For him to catch up to where I am,

he's got a long way to go.

Bloody Shambu sir!

Look who's coming this way.

Shambu!

He has got something in his hands.

Would any self-respecting person accept that and eat it?

Pathetic!

The chicken's a bit tough.

It's my father's recipe.

Was your dad tough too?

Joke.

-Are you not eating, son? -No, thanks.

Come with me. Where are you off to?

It won't be good if Shambu sir sees us together.

Scared?

Not scared. No need, that's why.

-Scaredy-cat! -Come.

I came to ask about a few things.

What's it, son?

According to Ashokan's wife's statement,

he left the house to see you, Narayanan.

Do you know why?

I don't know.

He didn't mention he was coming over.

Also…

We sometimes hang out together…

at night, you know.

For time-pass.

I think it was two days before he died,

we had a marriage proposal for his daughter, Snehalatha,

for our Ujjwalan.

It could have been regarding that.

Would anyone come over to talk about marriage at night?

He's the kind of person who doesn't care about time or place.

Did the deceased, Ashokan have any issues with anyone?

He had some drama with our Anthikurudan.

But that's old news around here.

Isn't that right?

Of course.

The day Divakaran died, was there some function here?

And you were there to help set up the stage and stuff?

What a question!

I was the one who laid the first pillar!

On the day Divakaran died,

-what time did you get home? -I…

Where are you going with this, sir?

That Dad commit both these murders?

I never said that, Ujjwalan.

Why?

Did you think that, Ujjwalan?

Sir, when the murder happened,

Dad was with me at the club.

If you want you can ask Sachin sir.

He's a witness

Alright, then.

I'm off.

Got some work to do.

Ujjwalan, could you come outside?

Don't worry, Dad.

I'll be back.

What's it, sir?

Come.

Listen…

I'm just asking to understand, Ujjwalan.

Why are you getting so serious?

Okay, then.

Also…

I found Paathumma's goat.

I found him in the barn behind this house.

What, Ujjwalan?

You steal it…

and then you find it too?

Wait, are you the killer too?

Dad.

Dad.

-Oh, dear! -Don't cry.

-Sir… -Listen, Ajayan…

My child has no one!

Have some patience. Let sir take a look.

Mom…

We have no one.

You've left us and gone, Aravindan.

Wait.

Can't you see him standing over there?

Step back! Move!

Step back, everyone!

Slowly. Down.

Careful.

Hold on, Ajayan.

Lay him down.

Slowly.

Slowly, lay him.

Everyone, step back.

Joseph, what do you think?

Sir, we've not got any fingerprints.

I think…

the killer used gloves

or cleaned up this area.

And one particular detail…

that's quite interesting, sir.

What's that?

Sir, we found a footprint in this area.

There are about 25 footprints here,

but that one stands out.

And if my guess is right,

the latest one is that shoe print.

And it looks different.

It's a running shoe-type pattern.

We also have mud samples in the same pattern.

That is…

also very different

because it's not the type of soil found here.

It's dark-colored mud, usually found in forests.

We've also found the same mud samples on the body.

So, I think

the crime happened somewhere else

and then he must've placed it here.

There are signs of a struggle on the body.

Moreover, if he placed the body where

there's so much attention,

I think he's a killer who enjoys

the "Boogeyman" name you gave him and the fame.

Also, to have hung

the dead body from such a height,

the killer is fit.

Sir, we've not got any fingerprints.

I think he's a killer who enjoys

the "Boogeyman" name you gave him and the fame.

Also, to have hung

the dead body from such a height, the killer is fit.

It's a running shoe-type pattern.

The killer used gloves.

I've been to this village many times before.

And then he must've placed it here.

That's not enough.

They are just circumstantial evidence.

I need something that directly points to him.

Shambu sir is the one who committed the murders in this village.

-What now? -Is he out of his mind?

There's only one person here

who wears running shoes and gloves.

Also, someone who's strong enough to hang Aravindan's body.

And that's Shambu sir!

Now, all that's left is for you to tell us why you did it.

There are four or five people here who use gloves.

You don't necessarily have to use gloves,

you could also cover it with a cloth.

Anyone can do that.

As for the running shoes,

you can just go to any shop in town

and buy them for a nominal price.

What else?

Fit body?

Even Narayanan has a fit body.

-Oh, no. -I…

What is happening in this tiny village?

I'm not done.

When you first came to this village, sir,

you made a speech to impress the villagers.

But in that, you accidentally mentioned something,

that you'd been here many times before.

Did you mean to say you've been here many times before?

Or to be precise,

that you came here twice last month.

Not only that, the bed sheet used to hang Aravindan's body

was taken from our outhouse,

the same place where you're staying now, sir.

Plenty of people have been in and out of this place.

As per your logic, Mr. Leelavilasam,

anyone who came and left can be the killer.

And if I were the killer,

to say all that to the villagers on the day I came,

I'm not a total imbecile like you, Ujjwalan.

Next, the bed sheet you mentioned.

I've never had a bed sheet like that in the outhouse.

Have you seen it, Narayanan?

I'm asking you if you've seen it?

No…

Can I suggest a possibility based on the evidence you've mentioned?

The gloves and shoes

could belong to anyone.

But having the strength to hang Aravindan's body…

someone like Narayanan could easily pull that off.

And the evidence you gave us,

the cloth used to hang the body.

That's also from your outhouse.

Father kills.

Son cracks the case.

That could be the case as well.

So, don't shout out such baseless statements publicly

and make a fool of yourself.

Hey, you scaredy-cat! Run home!

-Hey, don't! -Why stand there and make us mad!

It's good to investigate and solve cases,

but not when I'm here.

You're good, though.

You can catch the culprit in five minutes.

You're also good, sir.

You changed the story in five minutes.

In a place like Plaachikkaavu,

personally requesting the case,

impressing the villagers…

Giving the killer a name, "Boogeyman".

It's true.

The killer is really

enjoying this fame.

I could arrest you right now for

obstructing the execution of duty.

But that's not the spirit of the game.

You do one thing.

If you can, solve it.

I'll be right here.

This is my village.

And my villagers.

I'll definitely solve this case.

Once upon a time, there was a king of the Malli region,

Devasenan.

But Devasenan developed an illness, memory loss.

-And he-- -Ujjwalan, haven't you eaten yet?

I'm not hungry now.

Put that book away and come eat.

-Dasan, I was talking to you too. -Okay.

Didn't I say I don't want food?

Fine then!

Let Kokkachi kidnap all of you then!

Then serve me some rice, Leela.

Here…

Dad, why did you get scared when you heard "Kokkachi"?

Scared?

When?

Oh, that…

I wasn't scared.

I just came because I was hungry.

So, you are not scared?

Why would I be scared?

Anyway, Kokkachi doesn't kidnap people our age.

But children your age

should be careful.

Why is that?

Well…

Kokkachi has very particular tastes.

He takes children who don't listen to their parents,

don't eat properly, or sleep on time, just like you.

Those are the ones Kokkachi takes away.

Long ago, Kokkachi kidnapped

some misbehaving children from our village.

No one ever heard from them again.

And people were too scared to investigate.

So, Kokkachi is real, right?

It is!

I've seen it with my own eyes.

Where?

At Mottakkunnu hill.

It hides in the dark depths of the forest there.

When the time is right, it jumps out at passing children.

And drags them deep into the woods.

How can we know if Kokkachi is near?

There are two signs.

First, a strange smell appears

when Kokkachi is near.

Second, you can hear its footsteps in your ears.

If one footstep is in front of you,

the next two will be behind you.

You can never predict where the next step will come from.

Truly, a terrifying creature.

Dasan, eat quickly.

-Then Narayanan will drop you home. -Okay.

Don't just say okay, eat quickly.

What are you thinking about, Ujjwalan?

Shouldn't we find those missing children?

Ujjwalan…

They'd be your father's age by now,

if they're even alive.

So what?

If we catch the Kokkachi everyone fears,

who would we be then?

The saviors of this land!

Not we, just you.

I want no part of this.

I'm scared.

Come on, I'll be with you.

Be brave.

I'll sneak out when everyone's asleep.

I'll be in front of your house by midnight.

You must come down then.

But listen carefully to this one thing.

We can't let Kokkachi take anyone else from our village.

Dasan!

Dasan!

Son…

-Narayanan. -Yes.

Are you alright, son?

-Look, our son. -Dear.

Dad.

Dasan?

He's been missing since last night.

Don't you know where he is?

We went to Mottakkunnu last night.

I heard something, turned around, and he was gone.

After that, I don't know.

Our son!

Why did you go there at night?

What is this?

Any news?

We searched the whole village.

No sign of Dasan.

Give me the gruel. I'll take it to him.

Enough.

I didn't know this would happen.

Don't torment yourself thinking about it.

Go to sleep.

Dad!

-What happened, son? -Don't switch off the light.

Can you sleep here tonight?

With the killings continuing in Plaachikkaavu,

what we just saw were certain people using fear and helplessness

to play savior before the villagers.

When there's a seasoned officer with solved cases behind him,

why give weight to nonsense from an immature, clueless mind?

This person's actions are stirring trouble

when the villagers ought to stand together--

Let it go.

No matter what anyone says,

you'll stand by me, right?

That's enough for me.

Since you brought it up…

maybe…

it's best you don't go out anymore.

People are debating whether the current events are worse,

or if you're the bigger tragedy.

The villagers have no respect for you.

True that.

And because I'm your dad, they don't respect me either.

I think we've hurt that tender heart.

Ujjwalan.

What happened, son?

What are you staring at?

Brother, how long have you known Narayanan?

Narayanan was born and raised here.

We've known him since his childhood.

What kind of person is he really?

He used to be quite wild in his youth.

Would pick fights at the slightest provocation.

But after his marriage,

he stopped causing trouble.

Oh.

So he's the type to get into trouble then?

Not at all, sir.

After marriage, he completely settled down.

When Ujjwalan was born,

he became a new man.

Now he's busy with marriage brokerage and other work.

Is there some problem, sir?

No, nothing.

-Let's go. -Sir.

What's the matter?

Could our Narayanan be the Boogeyman?

Sachin.

Sir.

-Kunchacko Boban. -Sir.

Cross-check this for me.

Sachin, I need you to do something.

You and the Panchayat President must gather everyone in one place.

I have some things to say.

This must happen before 6:00 p.m.

Okay, sir.

After dark, it's your responsibility to ensure no one goes out, Sachin.

Sir, should we question everyone wearing running shoes?

What nonsense, Sachin!

Every Tom, Dick, and Harry here knows about the running shoes by now.

The killer would have immediately disposed of them.

Just because someone cooked up some stories,

doesn't mean an SI-ranked officer like you should follow blindly.

Don't take Ujjwalan seriously, sir.

He's just a naive guy.

Poor fellow.

Sir, all the villagers are terrified right now.

Three people have been killed here

-one after another. -Let's go.

No one knows who's doing this or why.

This once peaceful village is now drowning in mutual suspicion.

Brother, I understand your mental state

and everyone else's here too.

All three victims

were someone's loved ones.

That's why we're investigating this case with utmost care.

But to solve this,

we need your cooperation.

We can't do it alone.

What are you suggesting?

Aravindan had no reason to be out

walking alone after 7:00 p.m. when he was killed.

As I said before, the killer targets people walking alone at night.

We need more time to find out who's doing this and why.

Until we do,

everyone in this village is a suspect to me.

In fact,

the killer might be

in this room right now.

One of us,

hiding in plain sight.

Ensure everyone returns home safely.

-Sure sir, I'll do that. -Okay.

Okay, sir.

-Narayanan… -Yes.

Didn't Ujjwalan come?

Ujjwalan and Leela are at home.

I told him not to go out for a few days.

That's good.

-Go home. -Okay.

How's your arthritis? Can you walk home?

These laughs can turn to tears real quick.

You're going that way? I'll join you.

You go ahead, Narayanan.

We'll follow.

Be careful.

Watch out for him. Don't entertain him too much.

Yashoda, are you not coming?

No, Narayanan, we're going another way.

I shouldn't have spoken to you like that yesterday.

I know you're just trying to protect the village

and catch the killer.

I don't know why I said all that.

Forget it. I'm your father, after all. Forgive me.

Ujjwalan…

No matter what anyone says,

you must solve this case.

I'm with you.

The villagers suspect you, right?

No matter who gets killed…

Whatever happens, you must find the killer.

That's all.

I still suspect Shambu sir.

I wasn't joking yesterday.

I have solid evidence against him.

You sit here blaming Shambu,

he sits there blaming me.

This back-and-forth won't solve the case.

We need evidence to prove who the culprit is.

Understand?

Who's that?

Uncle Narayanan! What's up?

You look tired.

You?!

Why are you here?

I've been hiding in your cowshed since breaking out of jail.

No one would think to look there.

And since even you never go near it, it's the safest spot.

-Let me go tell Sachin? -Dad…

First, hear what he has to say.

Speak up.

Why is he so quiet?

Anthikurudan…

The truth is, I've been shaking ever since I saw that.

A figure with a sack over its head,

covered in weird drawings.

See? I'm still shaking.

Hope my brain is okay.

Can we trust him, Ujjwalan?

You must trust me. You have no choice.

Dad.

The forensic expert said

the third murder happened at a different location.

How does he know that?

So, we have no choice but to trust him.

Fine, we'll trust him.

But what next?

My teachers have told me

no crime scene is perfect.

Shambu must have left some element behind.

We need to find it.

But how do we find those "filaments" now?

We need to get out there

and investigate ourselves!

Also, is there any way to get copies of all three postmortem reports?

That will be difficult.

He's hopeless, man.

Will tomorrow do?

Yes.

I'll expose the real Shambu

behind that mask.

Interesting!

Ujjwalan, who's scared of the dark,

is now chasing the Dark Pro Max, Boogeyman edition!

Wow!

The questions must end today

We'll hang them with their own ropes

Anthikurudan,

you may begin.

Put on a blindfolded spectacle

And shut down that schemer's game Once and for all

Sherlock Holmes has arrived!

Marching through these lands

With grand fury and grand plans in motion

His team in tow

Hands unchained

Eyes fully wide open

The hunt is on!

Who do you think you are?

It's over now, kid! Face to face, come at me!

Expose this saint-by-day Demon-by-night

Rip off his virtuous mask

Oh, no! He's home!

Where is Anthikurudan?

The questions must end today

We'll hang them with their own ropes

Put on a blindfolded spectacle

-What happened? -Found nothing!

-Didn't you put everything back in place? -Yes.

Tighten the noose, left and right

Lure them into the trap

Let all the darkness, inside and out Fade away

Let the truth come shining through

Tighten the noose, left and right

Lure them into the trap

Let all the darkness, inside and out Fade away

Let the truth come shining through

He knows you broke into his house.

Now he'll be more careful.

The Shambu people see isn't the real Shambu,

it's just a facade behind walls.

You'll need to break in there again

when he's present.

At night.

But first, we should visit where you saw the murder happen.

If there was a struggle,

like forensics said,

we should find some clues here.

Should we check this side?

Could it really be here?

Ujjwalan!

Brother!

Quick!

What is it?

Over there.

Move aside.

A piece of bloodstained sackcloth!

This must be his.

Listen, leave this here for now.

Forensics needs to find this.

Make sure of that, sir.

Come.

Tough luck, sir.

We haven't found anything useful here.

Shouldn't we check that forest area, Joseph sir?

We haven't searched there.

Right?

Sir!

If the murder happened behind the grove, why are we looking here?

Looking at the crime scene alone isn't enough.

We need to check the surrounding areas as well.

You never know where evidence might turn up.

Look at what Narayanan and Sachin sir did!

They ditched us at the right time.

They didn't ditch us.

I sent them to Ashokan's crime scene.

Parallel investigation.

That's good. Let things proceed quickly now.

If the Boogeyman catches me and I end up dead,

donate my body to the Medical College for students to play Operation on.

Did you hear me?

Ujjwalan!

Ujjwalan!

The Shambu people see isn't the real Shambu,

it's just a facade behind walls.

You'll need to break in there again

when he's present.

At night.

Kurian!

Ujjwalan!

Ujjwalan!

Well, now we know for sure

it's not Shambu sir.

Poor fella! We just falsely accused him!

True.

Leela.

Don't tell him anything, okay?

Son…

Slowly.

I don't know why you're doing all this.

And if this is what you like,

I won't hold you back either.

But let me tell you one thing.

Don't ever make me see you in this condition again.

Do you understand what I'm saying?

I don't know, Mom.

It was wrong of me to say that

Shambu sir was behind all this.

I don't think I'll be able to do this.

This Boogeyman everyone's talking about,

if there's anyone who can find out who he is,

it's only you.

Sir.

Joseph sir had called.

There are two blood groups on that sackcloth.

One is Divakaran's and the other is Ashokan's.

What about the mud samples from Aravindan's crime scene?

That's a match too, sir.

Then we can confirm.

The third murder happened at the same spot as the first two.

All three murders took place

between nine and ten at night.

That too, within the same two km radius.

So, would the killer be living within this two km radius?

That would be the most obvious suspicion to have.

So, to throw us off,

the killer might have moved out of this two km radius

and gone somewhere else in Plaachikkaavu.

-Both possibilities cannot be ruled out. -Sir?

How about we search all the houses in this area?

No!

If we do that,

the killer will know the moment we go to the first house.

Either he will escape

or he will destroy any evidence he might have.

Moreover, most people in Plaachikkaavu

go home this way.

So, the killer could be one of them too.

There's something in the postmortem report no one's noticed yet.

One thing that's common among almost all psychopaths.

OCD.

OCD? What's that, Ujjwalan?

OCD means…

People with OCD

tend to follow a routine strictly.

For example, they eat their food at a specific time,

wake up at a set time,

and overall, they have strict discipline.

These are just small symptoms of OCD.

In our case,

looking at the dead bodies,

we can see a mark on one side of the forehead

from the hammer strike.

The same mark appears

on the opposite side as well.

There are such symmetrical marks

all over the body.

That means

the killer is following a pattern.

And one more thing.

This is purely my suspicion.

Shambu sir didn't call Plaachikkaavu's killer

Boogeyman without cause.

The killer is someone who has a deep admiration for the original Boogeyman.

That admiration turned into an obsession

and now the killer behaves like him,

even believing he is him.

Soon…

there will be more killings in Plaachikkaavu.

Yes, there will be. But what can we do?

Say that.

Ujjwalan, the gap between the first and second murder

is not the same as the one between the second and third.

So how are we supposed to know when or how the next attack will happen?

Whenever the pleasure a killer feels

after a murder fades,

that's when he'll strike again.

So?

We need to provoke the killer in some way.

How?

We need a plan.

Every night,

there should be strict police surveillance in that area.

Night patrolling.

Then…

he won't be able to do anything.

He'll become desperate.

In that frame of mind,

he's more likely to slip up.

That's when he'll end up

leading us right to him.

That's a good idea, Sachin.

Thank you, sir.

We should also station a few officers in plain clothes around that area.

Okay, sir.

Maybe call in a few officers from the other station too.

We can't cover the whole village otherwise.

That's right.

If the killer is confident,

-he'll be back. -Oh, dear…

Or as long as we continue this,

nothing else will happen.

Who's he?

Who could he be?

Or is he even someone at all?

Night's sentence, perhaps

A blaze that never dies

Spilling through everything in his path

In the hush of his breath

Is that the scent of death?

In the flicker of the dying lamp

Is it fear that stirs?

Who's he?

Who could he be?

I'm fed up, sir.

Feels like it's been forever!

Anyway, ever since the police started patrolling at night,

we've finally had some peace around here.

It's going to stay that way, Raghu.

Not the Boogeyman,

not even his father

can do a thing here.

And if anyone dares step out,

we'll hang him up like this bunch of bananas!

-Isn't that right, Ajayan? -Yes, sir.

Ajayan.

I think Raghu's banana fritters have screwed my insides.

I'll be right back.

But, sir, don't go alone.

-I'll also come. -No need, kiddo.

Don't be scared. Nothing will happen to me.

I'll be back soon.

Ajayan!

Sir, compared to the other murders,

this crime scene lacks the usual perfection.

But same weapon,

same modus operandi.

And since the victim this time was a police officer,

there was definitely a struggle.

I feel like the murder took place in a rush.

Since the body has been lying in the water all this time,

the chances of finding any evidence are pretty slim.

As for the time of death,

it's difficult to confirm, sir.

And…

we've not got anything useful from all four crime scenes.

I think we're at a dead end.

Okay, sir.

Sachin…

He was alone on patrol.

I should've gone with him.

I wasn't there.

I didn't know, sir.

You knew, right?

You deliberately threw everyone into his hands.

You knew this would happen, right?

Sachin.

Narayanan.

I've always seen him as my own family.

I've always played along with all his games.

But this game of his…

I never imagined it would destroy a family.

For you, they may have been mere policemen,

but not to me.

If you dare come near me

talking about the case or any damn thing…

I'll kill you, you dog!

Even after you came, two murders took place.

And one of them was a policeman, at that.

Not a shred of evidence or a single lead until now.

The maximum I can do for you is

give you one week's time.

If there's no breakthrough by then,

I'll have to hand over the case to someone else.

Shambu,

this isn't what I expected from you.

Sir.

Ajayan…

Oh, dear…

Ajayan, my son…

Sir.

Sorry, sir.

I completely misunderstood you.

It's all my fault.

Why?

No need for all that, Ujjwalan.

I only took in that spirit.

I was the one who told Sachin sir about night patrolling.

But I never thought it would turn out to be like this.

Oh…

Don't think like that.

The outcome we were hoping for didn't happen.

Don't take what Sachin said to heart.

Anyone in his place would have reacted the same way.

Sir.

Did you find any evidence in Ajayan's post-mortem report?

No, nothing.

What are we going to do, sir?

I don't know, Ujjwalan.

I only have one more week left here.

Whatever needs to be done, must be done by then.

Ujjwalan!

It's Chandy.

Compared to the previous murders,

this crime scene is far from neat.

It's even a step below Ajayan's murder.

He must think he's lucky

we haven't found any evidence or managed to catch him yet.

The killer's interest is fading with each murder,

and the precision he once had

is slipping away too.

If it continues like this,

this could be the last murder, sir.

I think…

he has lost his touch.

The killer's interest is fading with each murder,

and the precision he once had

is slipping away too.

I think

he has lost his touch.

The killer's interest is fading with each murder,

and the precision he once had

is slipping away too.

I think he has lost his touch.

We are going to commit a murder.

Murder?!

Tell me the plan.

The forensics should back us up firmly.

A fake murder.

A fake killer.

And if we do that?

The crime scene shouldn't be neat at all.

The fame he's enjoyed for so long

and the name "Boogeyman", should be questioned.

People should start mocking him

and his method of killing.

Obviously, he'll find out.

He'll be desperate to prove our findings wrong.

He'll come out to track down the person who ruined his name and reputation.

That's when we'll trap him and finally catch him.

But who are we going to kill?

The guy who fuels all the chaos in this village.

Who's that?

Is this gonna work?

That's not my concern.

Will this loser really play dead for that long?

We'll give him chloroform.

We can tie a pillow to his stomach to hide his breathing.

Hey.

Are you all going to actually get me killed?

Who is he?

Who could he be?

Jomon…

Like a fortress, he stands guard At the land's edge

Circlin' round, on the prowl The hunt goes on

-Sir, we're rolling. -A stare hits back

Fear creepin' in Heart pounds, legs tremble

The Boogeyman!

In fact, the killer might be

in this room right now.

In the clench of the dark, right there A stare hits back

Fear creepin' in Heart pounds, legs tremble

Jomon.

Jomon!

You have no ties to this village.

Nor do you have any issues with these villagers.

Your victims were completely random choices.

Why?

My life began with a death.

My mother's.

From birth,

he raised me locked away inside the house.

No one even knew someone like me existed in that house.

I still don't know why Father treated me that way.

I never asked either.

Behind the house, he had a farm.

I grew up hearing the cries of animals from there.

And I believed that would be my fate too, one day.

Then unexpectedly, someone entered my life.

He instantly understood my helplessness.

Somehow he convinced my father

to let him tutor me at home.

And for the first time,

I spoke to another human.

Through him,

I learned what the world was.

Years passed like that.

Not a single day went by

without him coming to see me.

More than a teacher,

he gave me the care and love a father should have.

But…

One day…

Jomon.

I'll be away for two weeks.

Finish reading all these books before I return.

Those two weeks turned my life upside down.

That book revealed myself to me,

with my entire life staring back at me.

That's when this…

twisted obsession with the Boogeyman

and the book began.

While the whole village trembled before his terror,

I felt the opposite.

Just once… I wanted to see him, face to face.

Jomon.

How was your break?

Did you finish reading the books?

Not all of them.

Here's the next batch.

But I kept reading this one book over and over.

What made you like it so much?

Can I show you something, sir?

I killed them the same way

the Boogeyman kills his victims.

-Jomon-- -Hey!

What did you do?

I will teach you a lesson today! How dare you!

Hey, Peter! No, stop it!

Get lost.

You are the one responsible for ruining him.

-I will fix him today! -Sir!

Let me see if I can put you on the right path.

You destroyed this family!

If you can't behave yourself, get out of my house.

I never saw my teacher again.

After years locked away in the house,

my father then confined me to a single room.

I decided to end this life

trapped in houses and in rooms.

Jomon.

I see myself in you.

Remember this night forever.

From this moment, you're free.

Don't let yourself be caged again.

I left my village that same day.

Worked various jobs across different lands

before finally arriving here.

When I heard about a vacancy,

I joined the news channel here as a reporter.

But…

all people ever did was despise me.

And again, I stopped talking to people.

A solitary life.

But I didn't expect…

my life to turn upside down again.

Forgotten memories flooded back in a single moment.

Hey!

Shouldn't there be some basic standards

when interviewing a police officer?

Don't get me started on the other interviews!

What have you done!

Just reading out correctly isn't enough.

You need the skill to engage viewers.

That's what makes a reporter.

Sir, I never taught them what to say or anything.

The interview naturally captured what kind of people they are.

Go to hell with your damn show off!

I'm not running this damn channel in this hellhole for any charity.

The guy we had before you followed my instructions exactly.

Just do the same.

Stay here only if you can follow that.

Otherwise, get lost.

Hey, James.

James!

Sir…

I'm not James.

-Jomon. -Whatever!

Another thing, when reporting, keep your hands like this, got it?

Just button up, understand

Scars and all! Disgusting!

What a pain these guys are!

-Dad. -What are you doing?

-Dad! -Stop bugging me!

This brat!

Hello, greetings!

-You're late today. -Come on, let's go, Dad.

Vishnu!

He is naughty.

Remember we discussed that annual school event?

They've scheduled it for next week.

Dad!

I'll hit you!

Please help us shoot it properly and make it good.

We'll discuss the other matters later.

It's getting late.

Fine, bye then.

Must you interrupt when I'm speaking? Where are your manners?

You brat!

Just walk.

I said walk.

Let's go home. I'll fix you.

Jomon.

Don't let yourself be caged again.

That night, I slept peacefully.

And like that, I began sleeping soundly every night.

After the second murder,

that kick became a thrill for me.

Then, sir, when you arrived and gave me that name…

Boogeyman!

Perfect!

Sir…

I have a doubt.

Jomon isn't the only killer.

He has an accomplice.

While you were questioning him,

I noticed a few things.

-If my guess is right-- -Ujjwalan.

Aravindan's murder,

Ajayan's murder…

Aravindan's body was found hanging.

Someone like Jomon

couldn't have done it alone.

Similarly, Ajayan's murder is different from the other three killings.

Even if the weapon and method were the same,

it was Jomon's accomplice who killed him.

The wounds on the victims were symmetrical.

But Ajayan's body wasn't like that.

RELEASE JOMON BEFORE 10:00 P.M. OR THE MURDERS WILL CONTINUE!

We know you have a helper.

And I know he won't leave Plaachikkaavu without you.

Either way,

he's made his presence known loud and clear to us.

He has declared his challenge,

if we don't release you, he'll kill more people tonight.

Do you think he'll succeed?

I once heard a story.

About a prey and a predator.

No one's sleeping tonight anyway.

I'll tell you that story.

A dreaded forest.

It was home to lions, elephants, tigers, and many other beasts.

But our focus isn't on them.

It's on four little rabbits who lived deep inside that forest.

They were living peacefully, until one night,

they caught a tiger's attention.

Silently, the tiger crept over dry leaves,

inching closer to the rabbits' burrow.

Finally, the tiger

was right outside their home.

Now, the tiger could see its prey within reach.

But the tiger, confident of its victory,

overlooked one thing.

What do we do now?

I have a plan.

Tonight, we do nothing.

Everyone in Plaachikkaavu

must stay indoors tonight.

When he sees no movement from our side,

he'll creep out.

He'll either come to the police station

looking for Jomon.

Or to kill someone else, as he warned.

But with everyone indoors,

he'll have to break into a house to kill someone.

Plaachikkaavu currently has 228 people.

58 houses!

These 58 houses are scattered across

three areas of Plaachikkaavu.

One area has about 28 houses.

Clustered close together, just a shout would alert the neighbours.

So, he won't target them.

The next area has roughly 24 houses.

Again, tightly packed.

He won't risk that either.

That leaves six isolated houses.

Unlike the others,

these are spaced 50 to 100 meters apart.

Anthikurudan.

If that's the case, where do you think he'll strike?

If it were me, I'd target those six.

Exactly.

He'll likely break into

one of those six houses.

And we'll choose that house for him.

All these houses

have multiple occupants.

So, he'll target homes

where he can easily overpower them.

We'll dangle the right house in front of him.

From the six,

we'll move two elders and two children

to one house.

In this story, the rabbits aren't just prey,

nor the tiger just a predator.

The tiger was the real prey.

And it was a man who set the rabbits before it.

The true hunter of this tale.

This story ends here.

Now, let's talk facts.

I know you're not Jomon.

When someone writes on a wall,

they write at eye level.

This was written by someone of Jomon's height.

See these smudges?

They're from

a right-handed person.

Smudges from a left-handed person

would be on the left side of the letters.

All this time, the Jomon we've seen is right-handed.

But the killer we caught

is left-handed.

One name, one life…

but two men!

The guy inspector Shambu just arrested is Jomon.

The man before me now

is Jomon's twin brother.

After that, Jomon came here

while I left for another place.

When I heard what happened after the second killing, I secretly returned.

From the third murder onward,

we worked together on everything.

But…

we made a mistake with the next one.

That night, Jomon was completely unsettled.

And from that moment, I became Jomon.

Go inside.

Thank you…

Detective Ujjwalan!

This chapter ends here.

In a village where nothing was ever meant to happen,

all of this did.

Plaachikkaavu and its people will never be the same again.

Once united in peace,

they now watch one another with shadows of suspicion between them.

THE 1965 MODEL POLICE STATION AWARD WAS WON BY PLAACHIKKAAVU'S POLICE TEAM

Anything can happen here now.

But whatever comes,

I, Ujjwalan will be here to face it.

If we catch the Kokkachi everyone fears, who would we be then?

The saviors of this land!

TWIN BROTHERS BEHIND THE SERIES OF MURDERS IN PLAACHIKKAAVU.

Ujjwalan!

DETECTIVE UJJWALAN, CRIME CONSULTANCY, PLAACHIKKAAVU