Ten.
- Nine. - Hold me tight.
- Eight. - Be careful. Here you go!
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Hmm?
[comical music playing]
Aunty Esther, did Mercy come here?
No, she didn't.
Rahul.
What is it, Aunty Esther?
Have some.
Hmm.
Hey, Jacky is caught.
Mercy, you're here, right?
- Grandpa! - Yes.
- Did Mercy come here? - Mercy?
Uh, I don't see her around.
- Don't tell him, Grandpa. - I won't. Stay here.
She didn't come here. Go and check there.
- Hey! Mercy is caught! Out! - Hey! [chuckles]
- He found you. - Grandpa!
- What? - You knew yet you lied.
- [slaps gently] - Ouch! It hurts!
- Liar! - I was kidding.
- It hurts. [coddles] - [giggles]
[coddles] How dare you beat your grandpa?
[fan whirring]
Uh. Anandhi.
- Anandhi. - Hmm?
- What is it? - Come with me.
What is it?
Huh?
I have something to discuss.
What is it?
Please come outside.
Come on.
Hmm.
What is the matter?
What is it?
Huh?
Uh... Wait.
[soft grunt]
What is it?
Yesterday,
on my way back home
from the temple with Rahul...
- 'Where are Jacky's parents?' - Solomon...
- was drunk and headed somewhere. - [grunts]
[dog barks]
[door shuts]
[dog barks]
Hey, Jacky! He will wake up.
- Mr. Bhaskar! - Huh?
[door bangs]
- Sir, open the door! - Who is it?
- Hey... - Mr Bhaskar, please open the door.
- Wait, I'm coming. - Open the door, sir!
- Solomon? Hey, what... - Sir, my daughter...
- My daughter... [sobs] - Mercy! Dear?
- Dear! - Save her, sir!
What happened to her?
- Look at me, dear. - [sobs]
Mercy! What happened?
- Someone did something heinous. - Mercy!
- What? - [cries]
Look at what they've done to her.
Who was it? What happened?
[cries] Someone...
Someone wronged her, sir.
- What are you saying? - [cries]
Dear!
- Sir, save my daughter. - Wait, let's go to the hospital.
Sir, my daughter is battling for her life. Save her.
- Hey, idiot! - Please, sir.
- Please! Sir, help! - Don't be foolish.
I'm not allowed to examine anyone. Only a doctor can.
She is barely breathing. Help her!
- Hey, wait... What? - Save my daughter, sir.
- [gasps] - [cries]
Hey... Mercy...
Wait!
Mercy!
[cries] Mercy!
[vessels clang]
- Dear! - Mercy!
Mercy!
My dearest...
Hey, call Esther.
Dear...
Go! Is she not here?
Go and call someone for help!
Call a woman to help. Scram!
Mercy! Dear!
Malathi Sister!
[bangs, grunts]
Sister Manju!
Oh my! My daughter!
Someone help!
Hey! Where have you all gone? Someone come here!
Mercy!
Mercy? Hey...
[slaps gently] Mercy!
Look! Dear...
- Dear... - [inhales deeply]
[slaps gently] Dear! Mercy!
Mercy, look here.
[leg thuds]
[chair rattles and falls]
Hey, Ramu! Don't you hear me?
Come and help now.
Mercy! Dear!
Look here, Mercy.
[tense music playing]
My God!
Ear... Hey...
[ominous music playing]
- Sir! - Dear...
[pants] There's nobody in sight, sir.
Nobody is around.
- Let's take her to the hospital. - [gasps]
Check if there is any vehicle.
- Dear! - Mercy!
- Dear... - Mercy!
- Sir! - Dear.
- Dear! - Sir...
Sir...
- Sir! - Oh my!
Oh, god! Mercy! [wails]
- Mercy... What... - [hollers]
- Mercy! - [cries]
She's gone.
[wails, slaps on head] Dear!
Dear... Hey!
- Mercy! - Hey!
[cries]
Dear.
We are... What's this, dear?
[suspenseful music playing]
[screams]
Hey!
Solomon...
Solomon! Hey...
Hey, Solomon!
Why did you do this? Hey!
Look at me...
Hey...
Hey... [trembles]
[gasps, trembles]
I...
Oh, god! Why is this...
- [motorbike whirring in distance] - Hey...
[door shuts]
[pants]
[door opens]
[scrubs]
[swishes]
[dog barks in distance]
[bangs on door] Anandhi! Sister!
Brother! Bhaskaran!
[yawns, door creaks open]
Brother, Solomon is lying in a pool of blood.
[gasps]
[pants]
That guy didn't spare Mercy even though she's just a child.
And...
In such cases
a lady doctor must examine the child in the hospital.
If unavailable, a nurse
the child's mother, or, at least, an informed woman
must be present while a male doctor examines the child.
But a male doctor
cannot examine the child alone.
I kept trying to convince Solomon
to take her to the hospital.
That poor kid was battling for life.
Since it's just first aid, I overlooked the absence of a lady
as her father was around. In case of a problem in the future,
I expected him to speak the truth
and tried my best to save her.
She bled through her ears.
- [cries] - [sobs]
The shock of her demise made
him jump off the building to his death.
Why have you kept her here?
Huh? [sobs]
I didn’t know what to do at that moment, Anandhi.
On retirement,
a person must not have any staff-related or police
complaints against them. If there is, it's investigated
and only when they're declared innocent
is the retirement money released.
But we are innocent.
We are innocent.
I don't even know who did such a heinous thing to this kid.
Her father is also no more, to speak the truth.
I touched that kid first,
gave her CPR and first aid.
If I speak the truth, they will blame me for it.
I can prove to the police that I did my best to save the kid.
But,
the police will come here and enquire about me.
Everyone will find out that I provide informal medical treatment.
How is it connected?
What are you saying?
My job is to hand over medicines that the doctor prescribes.
It's illegal for me to offer medical help.
I've offered medical help to most people in the village.
This is a big case in itself.
Our intentions were not wrong. Right?
Until the investigation is over, we won't get the money.
We have to get the operation done at the earliest for Rahul.
I'm counting on the money.
What if it gets delayed?
That fear
drove me to do this.
I'm scared.
I'm scared too.
I'm petrified. I...
Poor Esther.
Let's inform the police.
- Okay? Let's go to the police. - Hey...
- No. - What are you...
- Hush! Listen to me! - I'll tell the police.
We won't get the money if you inform the police.
Hush!
You won't get the money.
[sobs] I'm scared...
Between the deceased child
and my grandson of the same age,
- I somehow chose my grandson. - [sobs]
Well... [cries]
- [cries] - [sobs]
Listen. A moment.
Let us get the money first, and once everything goes well,
I will surrender to the police
and tell them everything. Okay?
You said that you saw Mercy on the way to church yesterday.
You also said that you saw someone standing in the dark.
None of it is true.
- But why? - I said it
so that they don't suspect me.
But I didn't know that Esther
had called Mercy to church.
- Please bear with me. - But...
- Please bear with me. Hush! - [cries] Listen...
- [cries] But... - He is sleeping.
- He's sleeping. Calm down. - [sobs]
All will be well once we get the money. Okay?
- Grandma, don't hold it like this. - Hmm?
- Hold it straight. - Okay, dear.
- He knows it all. - Go and stand there.
Come on!
- Shall we cut it? - Why did you have to bring a cake?
- It's expensive... - It's for my granddaughter.
Come and cut it.
- ♪Happy birthday to you!♪ - [claps] Yay!
- '♪Happy birthday to you!♪ - Hey, what's that gift?
Wow, it's a watch.
- Yes. - Grandpa, where's my watch?
Yours? Whose birthday is it?
- Mercy's, right? - Hmm.
I'll buy you a watch on your birthday.
- Okay? - Wow, it makes a sound.
- [watch beeps] - Yes. Do you like it?
- I like it. Thank you, Grandpa. - It's okay, dear.
Hey, any news of Venkat's whereabouts?
I've asked to track his number, but his phone is switched off.
What is the DSP saying, sir?
What will he say? He suspects Venkat.
But he feels that the missing cases are unrelated.
I think all these cases are related.
Three girls have gone missing from annual village festivals so far.
Sir, I feel that
it's a gang targeting young girls at village festivals.
Hey! It's not Thiruvarur's grand chariot procession
for crowds to throng the place.
It's a small village festival. Only neighbouring villagers visit.
I don't think they're targeting random girls.
They're targeting girls between 10 and 12 years of age,
especially those who haven't attained puberty.
That makes me suspicious.
Three years ago, a girl went missing.
Her name is Subha.
Okay, be careful.
She went to play with her friends at the festival gathering.
The kids were playing together.
But she didn't return home or to her mother.
That girl lives on the street behind Venkat's house.
Six months later,
another girl went missing at a different village's annual festival.
Her name is Pavithra.
At the festival, she said that she's going to the bathroom
but never returned.
In that girl's missing case,
I questioned Venkat as he had
visited her home for renovation work.
Two and a half years later,
this girl goes missing on her way from the church to her home.
She is Venkat's niece.
With each day that we take to solve this case,
the villagers will start discussing the older cases
and we must be prepared to answer.
Why are they targeting festival gatherings?
Because you can blend into the crowd.
You won't stand out. That could be a reason, too.
Hmm.
Sir, he doesn't have to wait for a gathering to not stand out.
People are generally at the temple during festivals and not at home.
It's easy to abduct.
And it's easy to escape without getting caught.
That could be a reason, too.
Well, what are you doing here?
The DSP said that Solomon's post-mortem report is here.
- Post-mortem report? - Yes.
I'll send it across. Wait outside.
Bhaskaran from the hospital spoke of someone standing in the dark.
Sir, people are generally drunk during festivals.
- How can we take that as a clue? - Hello.
Where? Hmm. Okay.
Sir, Venkat's phone was active near the Thirukarancheri tower area.
- Is it? - Yes, sir.
Track and share his location immediately.
Yes, sir.
He must've switched it on to call his wife.
Send a team to his house immediately.
Okay, sir.
Where is my car?
They've taken it to refill diesel.
- Take that car and leave. - Okay, sir.
Start the car. Quick!
- [car door closes] - [siren wails]
Will you drive only for the DSP?
Go on.
Start!
[upbeat music playing]
[car door closes]
[car whirring]
[bangs on door]
Who is it?
- [bangs on door] - I'm coming.
- Sir? - Where is your husband?
Check whether dad called us.
- Did he call you? - No, sir.
Don't lie. Give me your phone.
- No, sir. - Show me your phone. Go on.
Bring my phone.
Check whether dad called us. Just check.
Sir, he didn't call me.
He didn't, sir.
Do you have relatives in Thirukarancheri?
Relatives in Thirukarancheri... No, sir.
Madam, you had better speak the truth.
I swear that we have no relatives there, sir.
Does your husband have any acquaintances there?
Not that I know of...
Sir, there's a lake in Thirukarancheri.
Yes.
He sometimes drinks with his friend there.
That's all I know, sir.
Sir!
[phone rings]
Hello?
Sir, he seems to be acquainted with the area around the lake.
- Is it? - Yes, sir.
Okay.
Turn towards the lake.
[car door opens]
Sheesh!
This doesn't work when required.
Do you have another torch?
Sheesh!
What is this?
Sir, this wasn't issued to me, I bought it.
Okay, flash it in that direction.
[suspenseful music playing]
What's that?
It looks like a child's underwear.
- There's blood on it, sir. - What else can you find?
Sir, this is a piece of cloth too. Seems like a shirt collar.
Oh, he has tried to destroy the evidence
Papa!
Uh...
Where could Mercy have gone?
She should've come home by now.
Everyone is looking for her.
You'll find her soon.
Go and--
Apparently, there was someone behind the tree when you saw Mercy.
Why didn't you tell me?
I thought it would scare you.
[siren wails in distance]
Esther, you must come to the station.
Can you identify these clothes?
Try to remember.
Uh-huh. No.
You don't know.
- And this? - [gasps] Oh my!
- This belongs to my daughter, sir. - Yours?
Sir, this is Mercy's... Blood!
Oh, there's blood on it, sir.
What happened to my Mercy, sir?
- Nothing. - Oh my!
- What happened to her? - She must be fine.
Don't worry. We will find her.
Where is she?
- What happened to her? - We will find her wherever she is.
Don't worry.
When? It's already over a day. Find her.
- Be patient, madam. - [cries] Find her...
Find my daughter.
- Your daughter will be fine. - [cries] Please, sir!
I think my daughter is in danger.
Look, sir! It has blood on it.
Oh, god! What happened to my daughter?
I entrusted you with her.
What happened to her, sir?
[wails] Oh, Anjana!
She said you’d take good care of her.
[hollers]
[sobs]
Please find her soon, sir.
We'll find her soon. Hey!
Ask a team to stay around his house.
Okay, sir.
[dog barks]
Jacky!
[dog barks]
[suspenseful music playing]
[dog barks in distance]
[tense music playing]
[door creaks open]
Jacky, come on!
I asked you to come.
Stay here. Okay? Don't move.
[coughs]
Catch him! Stop!
Hey, catch him! He's running away, sir!
Sir, catch him!
Don't run!
Hey, don't run! Wait!
Hey!
- What happened? Hey! - Be careful! Hey!
- Catch him! - Hey!
- Sir! - Wait!
Don't run!
- Hey, Venkat! Listen to me! Stop! - Stop!
- Wait, Venkat. - Hey!
Hey!
Wait!
This way, guys. Sir, this way!
- Hey! - [footsteps]
[pants]
Hey! [grunts]
[effort grunts]
Sir, we caught Venkat.
[pants]