Plot introduction

Inspector Ghote's latest assignment is simple and offers the chance for well-deserved rest. He is to escort an
infamous confidence trickster from Calcutta to Mumbai by railway. Ghote is looking forward to relaxing in
air-conditioned comfort on the Calcutta Mail train as it passes through the beautiful Indian scenery, but his
travelling companions make the journey far from restful.[1]
Plot summary
The novel opens with an article in The Times of India, which names Ghote as the officer to escort fraudster
A. K. Bhattacharya from Calcutta to Mumbai. Bhattacharya made a fortune selling wax fakes of ancient
Indian statues as the real thing. An American professor exposed him with a cigar lighter but Bhattacharya
escaped. He has never been photographed and only his description is known.
On the train Ghote finds himself in a compartment with a well dressed, charming Bengali. Ghote is reluctant
to talk about his mission and his travelling companion begins trying to guess Ghote's profession and reason
for travel; his guesses are ridiculous, possibly even insulting. Eventually he guesses that Ghote is the
Inspector escorting Bhattacharya to trial.
Ghote notes the initials on his companion's luggage are A. K. B. and suspects the man may, in fact, be A. K.
Bhattacharya. The stranger reveals that he had read the newspaper article about Ghote and introduces himself
as A. K. Bannerjee.
The next day Ghote and Bannerjee are joined in their compartment by a pair of young backpackers travelling
with an Indian Guru. The boy, Red, is British and the girl, Mary Jane, is an American. They are hippies.
Ghote argues their right to be in the compartment without tickets, but the train moves off and it is impossible
for the trio to disembark. Although Red is antagonistic towards Ghote, Mary Jane charms the inspector.
The next morning a telegram informs Ghote the prisoner in Calcutta is actually A. K. Biswas, wanted in
Mumbai for gambling offences, not Bhattacharya.
Ghote persuades Red to take Mr Bannerjee's photograph. Bannerjee convinces Red to wait until the next day.
The next morning Bannerjee oversleeps, then claims his unshaven face is unsuitable for photography. All the
film proves to be missing from the camera and the luggage. Bannerjee blames thieves at the last station. Red
suspects Bannerjee but can prove nothing.At the next stop a Mr Ramaswami joins them. He explains his job
consists of visiting each station on the railway to see that railway stationary and forms are only used for
official purposes. Bannerjee suggests that Ramaswami falsifies his returns to save travelling so much.
Shortly thereafter Bannerjee questions the ethics of Ghote condemning a person to jail. Ghote insists that
would be the job of the magistrates and judges. Bannerjee seeks to enlist the guru as a moral ally in his
cause. The guru is unhelpful, saying that a man lives his life regardless of his surroundings and brings to
everyone's attention Mr Bannerjee's use of hair dye. Bannerjee claims he dyes his hair from simple vanity,
though he jokingly calls it a disguise.
Mr Ramaswami notices the initials on Bannerjee's suitcase and accuses Bannerjee of being A. K.
Bhattacharya but relents, as it seems too far-fetched.
At the last stop before Calcutta, Bannerjee persuades Ghote to get a shave from one of the local barbers. The
barber Bannerjee selects speaks no language Ghote knows. The barber is deliberately very slow. The train
pulls out and Ghote has to run and jump to get on board. Ghote accuses Bannerjee of engineering the
incident so that Ghote would be left behind. In a dialect that the backpackers do not speak Bannerjee blames
Red and Mary Jane, claiming that they feared Ghote would denounce them for not having visas.
The train approaches Calcutta and Bannerjee notes that he feels as if A. K. Bhattacharya were on the train
with them. He praises Bhattacharya at length and suggests that he is akin to the hippies, Red and Mary Jane,
in that he breaks down the barriers of society that have become too rigid. In so doing Bannerjee inadvertently
incites those present to break the law, which gives Ghote the opportunity to arrest him. As the train draws up
to the platform "Bannerjee" refers to Bhattacharya's scheme being exposed with a cigar lighter, which is not
public knowledge. Ghote exposes and arrests Bhattacharya.
Ghote travels in a private carriage on the return journey. He has been ordered to get a confession from
Bhattacharya, since the authorities wish to avoid the expense of a full trial. Ghote must also escort Mr
Biswas, the card sharp, back to Mumbai for trial.
At the last minute, Red and Mary Jane board the carriage, claiming to be concerned for Bhattacharya's well-
being. Bhattacharya states his intention to escape during the journey and claims he has accomplices who will
help him. Ghote suspects the backpackers of being Bhattacharya's accomplices.
As night falls, Ghote works on getting Bhattacharya to confess. Mary Jane argues that Bhattacharya is a
force for good in society, as he boasted on the outward journey. Mary Jane believes this should be his
courtroom defence.
Ghote sees Mr Ramaswami at a station and invites him to join the party in the private carriage. Bhattacharya
tries to frighten Mr Ramaswami by claiming to be friends with Thuggee cultists, who murder travellers.
Ghote rebuffs this and indicates that Bhattacharya can expect a thirty-year prison sentence. The length of the
sentence horrifies Ghote's travelling companions and Ghote goes to sleep resolving to use a sympathetic
approach to draw Bhattacharya into a confession.
The next day Ghote suggests the charges could be reduced if Bhattacharya pleas guilty. Bhattacharya in turn
offers Ghote a partnership in exchange for the charges being reduced to a single, minor item. Ghote rejects
this.
At lunch Red abruptly insists on taking Ghote's photograph. The train enters a dark tunnel and no one can see
anything. Ghote finds the meal bitter and unpleasant but has a second helping to please the cook and notices
the second helping tastes different.
Ghote realises that he has been drugged. He forces himself to get up and vomit in the toilet, then collapses.
Waking, he overhears Mary Jane arguing with Bhattacharya. He asks for tea, which Mary Jane helps him to
drink. By the time the train reaches the next station Ghote is well again. He decides to take no action against
Red, who he is sure is responsible for the poisoning, out of respect for Mary Jane.
At the next station an old lady, Mrs Chiplanka, insists in joining their carriage. She claims to be a respectable
pillar of the community who once worked with Mahatma Gandhi to achieve independence from the British.
Ghote notes her spectacles are fitted with ordinary window glass. He searches her luggage but finds nothing.
Although Ghote suspects her of being Bhattacharya's accomplice, he can do nothing without evidence.
That afternoon Ghote makes little progress in obtaining a confession, so he decides to wear down
Bhattacharya by depriving him of sleep. Mrs Chiplanka objects to this as it is a form of torture. Angered,
Ghote accuses her of being Bhattacharya's accomplice.
Mrs Chiplanka, embarrassed, admits that she wears the glasses for show. Many years ago Gandhi told her to
wear spectacles when he saw her leaning close to her work. Rather than correct the great man's mistake or
worry him, Mrs Chiplanka began wearing false glasses much like his own.
After this, Ghote realises there never were any accomplices and Bhattacharya says he will plead guilty. He
makes a full statement, which Ghote takes down.
Red seems disillusioned by Bhattacharya's confession. Mary Jane comforts Red, who agrees to go with her to
the United States of America.
Bhattacharya signs the statement, which is witnessed by Ramaswami. Tired from the long night, Ghote
accepts Ramaswami's offer to guard Bhattacharya while Ghote sleeps.
An hour later Ghote is woken. Bhattacharya has escaped. Ghote gives chase. The train is in motion and
Ghote searches the other carriages then climbs onto the roof. He finds Bhattacharya in the driver's
compartment and takes him into custody. Moments later the train arrives in Mumbai and the novel ends.