The rain began just after sunset. From the terrace of his crumbling apartment in Hazratganj, Aarav watched the storm swallow Lucknow inch by inch. Neon lights trembled in puddles. Minarets disappeared behind curtains of rain. Somewhere in the distance, the azaan drifted through the city like a memory refusing to die. He lit a cigarette he did not want. The newsroom had suspended him three weeks ago after his investigation into land scams connected to ministers in Gomti Nagar. Officially, he was “on leave.” Unofficially, he had become inconvenient. His…
Read MoreLucknow Noir: The Keepers’ Secret
