Draft:Agniban

Agniban
Author	Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Original title	অগ্নিবাণ (Agnibāṇ)
Language	Bengali
Series	Byomkesh Bakshi
Genre	Detective, Crime, Mystery
Publication date	1935
Publication place	India
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Preceded by	Chorabali
Followed by	Uposonghaar

Agniban (Bengali: অগ্নিবাণ, romanized: Agnibāṇ, lit. 'Arrow of Fire') is a detective story written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay featuring the Bengali detective Byomkesh Bakshi and his friend, assistant, and narrator Ajit Bandyopadhyay. It was first published in 1935.

Characters

- Byomkesh Bakshi: The main detective, known for his sharp intellect and logical reasoning.
- Ajit Bandyopadhyay: Byomkesh's close friend, assistant, and the narrator of the story.
- Professor Debkumar: A scientist and father of Rekha and Habul; becomes the antagonist.
- Rekha: Debkumar's daughter, whose mysterious death triggers the investigation.
- Habul (Anukul Babu): Debkumar's son, who seeks Byomkesh's help but later becomes a victim.
- Debkumar's wife: The stepmother of Rekha and Habul, with whom Debkumar has a strained relationship.
- Dr. Rudra: A local physician known for his harsh demeanor; father of Manmatha.
- Manmatha: Dr. Rudra's son, who was engaged to Rekha before the arrangement was canceled.

Plot summary

The story begins with Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit feeling restless due to a lack of engaging cases. Their monotony is broken when a young man named Habul, arrives in distress. Habul informs them that his sister, Rekha, has died suddenly under mysterious circumstances.

Rekha was found dead in the kitchen, kneeling before an unlit stove with a matchstick in her hand. There were no signs of illness or injury, and the cause of her sudden death is unknown. Suspicious of foul play, Byomkesh decides to investigate.

At Rekha's home, they meet her stepmother, whose cold demeanor and lack of genuine grief raise suspicions. Byomkesh discovers a letter written by Rekha to Manmatha, expressing despair over their broken engagement and hinting at suicidal thoughts. Manmatha is the son of Dr. Rudra, a local physician known for his harsh temperament. The engagement was called off due to Dr. Rudra's exorbitant dowry demands, which Rekha's father, Professor Debkumar, could not meet.

Despite the letter suggesting suicide, Byomkesh is unconvinced. An autopsy conducted by Dr. Rudra fails to determine the cause of death, noting only that Rekha died from sudden paralysis with no traces of poison. Byomkesh suspects that an unknown toxin may be involved.

Days later, Habul is found dead under similar mysterious circumstances while sitting on a park bench. This second death intensifies the investigation. Byomkesh learns that Professor Debkumar, a scientist facing financial difficulties and marital discord, had recently taken out a large joint life insurance policy worth fifty thousand rupees on himself and his wife.

Byomkesh deduces that Professor Debkumar had invented a deadly poison that releases lethal fumes when ignited. Intending to kill his wife for the insurance money, he had coated matchsticks with the poison and placed them in her matchbox. Unaware of the danger, both Rekha and later Habul used the poisoned matchsticks, leading to their deaths. Realizing his actions have inadvertently killed his own children, a devastated Debkumar confesses to his crimes when confronted by Byomkesh.

Themes

Misuse of Scientific Invention

The story explores the ethical implications of scientific discoveries used for personal gain. Professor Debkumar's creation of a lethal poison and his decision to use it for murder highlight the potential dangers when science is misapplied.

Unintended Consequences

"Agniban" delves into the tragic outcomes that can result from malicious intentions. Debkumar's plan to kill his wife backfires catastrophically, leading to the deaths of his own children.

Family Dynamics

The narrative examines strained familial relationships, including the tensions between step-relatives and the neglect stemming from marital discord, which contribute to the unfolding tragedy.

Psychological Complexity

The story provides insight into the psychological motivations behind premeditated murder, showcasing how desperation and obsession can lead to moral degradation.

Adaptations

Television

The story was adapted as the 9th episode of the 1993 television series Byomkesh Bakshi, aired on Doordarshan, directed by Basu Chatterjee.

Film

A Bengali film adaptation titled Byomkesh O Agnibaan (Byomkesh and the Arrow of Fire) was released in 2019, directed by Anjan Dutt, with Jisshu Sengupta playing the role of Byomkesh Bakshi.

Web series

The story was adapted as an episode of the 2014 web series Byomkesh, which aired on the Bengali channel Colors Bangla.

References

External links

Byomkesh Bakshi - Ep 9 - Agnibaan on Prasar Bharati website
Byomkesh O Agnibaan on IMDb
Byomkesh (TV Series) on IMDb