It was a perfect Saturday until I received a phone call from a colleague who broke the news that our 'Commander' was gunned down. I simply couldn't believe him. "How can someone kill him? I had spoken to him on Thursday."

I tried to convince myself that such a thing could not happen to him. After all, he was J Dey the most intrepid and hardnosed person I have ever come across.


Qasim Mehdi Chief sub editor

Standing over six feet, his stature in the field of investigation and crime journalism was much taller.
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Being someone as notable as him and yet not to have even an ounce of arrogance is something hard to come by these days.
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Thus, I consider myself privileged enough to know him for the past three years.

Though he was quite reserved, he was easily approachable. We used to have a chat whenever we bumped into each other in office, while shopping in Powai or at the stall from where we bought newspapers.

Today morning, when I went to the paper stand, and later in the evening, when I reached office and glanced towards his cubicle, I couldn't believe that he is no more.

The gruesome killing of the father of crime reporting, a brave soldier of the fourth state, in the line of duty, is intolerable and completely unacceptable.
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I expect the investigating agencies to bring to book the harebrained cowards who committed this loathsome and despicable crime.