Hatyapuri

The sweltering heat and unreliable power in Calcutta push the Three Musketeers to seek relief on a seaside vacation. They pack up and head to Puri to escape the oppressive humidity. The trip sets the stage for a change of pace that soon drags them into mystery.

Upon arriving in Puri, they check into the Neelachal Hotel, a place tied to the local landlord's circle. The calm seaside setting contrasts with the brewing intrigue around D.G. Sen and his manuscripts. The hotel becomes the trio’s base for discoveries to come.

During an evening stroll on the Puri shore, the trio spots unusual footprints in the sand. The mysterious markings hint at a hidden danger or clandestine activity nearby. The footprints foreshadow the crimes that will unfold.

Back at the hotel, Shyamlal informs them that D.G. Sen’s primary interest is in collecting manuscripts. This detail plants a potential motive for theft or obsession with rare texts. The revelation nudges the group toward Sen and his circle.

The next morning Topshe and Lalmohan Babu discover Rupchand Singh’s body on the beach and promptly inform Feluda. Feluda arranges a path to investigate and plans to consult D.G. Sen. The murder sets a real investigative pace for the trio.

The trio goes to Sagarika and meets Nisith Bose, Sen’s secretary. Nisith reveals Sen’s full name, Durga Gati Sen, and Sen shows some priceless manuscripts, clarifying that he does not sell them. The encounter deepens the mystery surrounding the manuscripts.

Bilas Majumdar, a wildlife photographer, shares his Nepal trip story and a past accident he cannot fully recall. His account introduces a potential link between Nepal and the Puri mystery. The conversation adds another layer to the unfolding intrigue.

Laxman Bhattacharya explains that Bilas’s supposed accident was actually a murder attempt. The astrologer advises Bilas to consult him the next evening, hinting at a looming confrontation with hidden enemies. The revelation tightens the web of suspects.

At the Railway Hotel, Hingorani reveals he had offered 25,000 rupees for the Pragya Paramita, a sum Mr. Sen refused. The dialogue heightens tension around the prized manuscript and its allure to outsiders. The financial angle adds urgency to the investigation.

The morning after, Nisith reports a man visited Mr. Sen’s house, and Feluda suspects Bilas after the hint of recognition. Bilas decides to leave the town the following day, signaling a shifting set of suspects and deadlines. The pace tightens as the mystery thickens.

Bilas departs town, while Feluda later surfaces battered and unconscious, prompting a tense night and frantic search by Topshe and Lalmohan Babu. They manage to bring Feluda back to safety, but the danger lurking around Sen’s circle remains. The assault marks a climactic turn in the pursuit.

The next morning Nisith’s corpse is found in Bhujanga Niwas near Sagarika, beaten to death. Feluda orders a vigil in front of Sagarika, intensifying the internal investigation and raising the stakes for everyone involved. The murder of the secretary brutalizes the already tense scene.

In a thrilling night climax, Feluda unmasks Bilas Majumdar as A. Sarkar and Laxman Bhattacharya as his accomplice. Sarkar had come to Puri to steal manuscripts and had killed Rupchand Singh in Nepal; Nisith had begun to uncover the theft, and Laxman killed Nisith with a manuscript. Inspector Mahapatra arrests the culprits and the broader conspiracy is revealed.

Feluda returns the Pragya Paramita to Mr. Sen and reveals that the now-famous footprints on the beach belonged to Sen himself, who was pretending to suffer from gout. Sen produces his wooden leg to prove the deception and close the case. The trio leaves Sagarika with justice served and a final twist interpreted.