“Eh Khudkushi Nahin Janab! Qatl Hai” (It’s Not Suicide Sir! Its Murder)is name of the murder mystery written first time in Punjabi language pulp
literature. The whole credit goes to the writer Hardev Grewal. Hardev
Grewal is a writer,poet,singer all in all a versatile personality.After reading this novel one thing is clear that he is a long player in writing profession and can earn a lot of good will like other mystery writers.
The title of the story is completely suitable.
Tejveer Singh Shergill, Hero of the story is a young press reporter who
solved a sensational murder mystery in just first four days of his
career. It is always up to a writer how he’s going to make his writing
diverse than other so that all murder mysteries would not look
identical, and above all it should be written in such a way that reader
should finish it in one go . Hardev Grewal was completely successful in
it. When I started it I find it very stimulating that I could not
leave it for a minute and I finished it in one go.
It is a murder mystery but the way it is written and the kind of
characters and events it has it can be called thriller as well. All the
characters of the story look so real. But the Terror created by
‘Inspector Puri’ sent shivers down my spine. This event of the story not
only scratches the deep wounds created by Belligerency on Punjab’s
heart two decades ago but also throw light on how young and innocent
people were tortured and murdered by corrupt police in false encounters.
“Veera maari na” this cry of an innocent goes down deep into
the readers heart and comes out of the eyes in form of tears. But on
other hand it crosses all limits of perniciousness when still ‘Daula’
ignores it and shoots him. Tejveer’s brainy and fearless character is
very inspiring and a pinup for all young peers. Gagan’s jokes and
well-timed sense of humor is an icing on cake.
Writing, Language, style everything is Stunning. Grewal himself is a
big buff of Surendera Mohan Pathak. And you can see his shade in
Grewal’s writing that’s why while reading you going to feel as if you
reading one of his novels. But still you are going to find it different,
that’s the beauty. Writing style of Grewal is completely Modern. He
uses different and new phrases in the story for e.g. “addi raati hoe police de najayz humle de karan Baba RamDev de andolan vaang he bikhar gya”. Or “us diyan gallan recession de karan khtam hoian naukrian vaang he khtam ho gayian”
and many more. Other than this, in the story the description of
different places and the crime scene is so real and simple that it
creates real picture in front of the reader’s eye.
It is a fast paced story. The only thing that seems little weird is
being a crime reporter and senior to Tejveer, Gagan should have
contributed some in terms of resolving mystery as well. But that’s not
a big deal.
It is one of the masterpieces and if you know how to read Punjabi
please go ahead and read, and if you don’t know Punjabi than also go
ahead try read it because I am sure being a Murder mystery buff you don’t want to
miss this Great work of literature in Punjabi language . Two thumbs up! 9 out of 10.