The Stranglers of Bombay

Captain Harry Lewis probes the disappearances of over 2,000 natives. His superior, Colonel Henderson, refuses to back him and instead approves appointing a new investigator. The tension sets the stage for a clash between method and authority.

A newly arrived Captain Connaught-Smith is assigned to lead the investigation in place of Lewis. Lewis feels sidelined and frustrated as his long-shot theories go unheeded. The power shift introduces immediate friction between the two captains.

Lewis lays out his organized-gang theory and the potential informants among merchants. Connaught-Smith dismisses the findings and treats Lewis as a troublemaker. The rift deepens as Lewis is sidelined from the case.

The Thuggee cult captures Lewis and sentences him to die by cobra bite. He is rescued by a pet mongoose, a turning point that invalidates the high priest's plan. The escape marks a personal victory but leaves the larger mystery unresolved.

Fed up with official reluctance, Lewis resigns his commission to continue investigating independently. He commits to uncovering the truth behind the missing caravans and the Thuggee network. The decision also signals a shift in his relationship with Connaught-Smith.

Ram Das, Lewis's houseboy, believes his brother Gopali is alive and grants himself permission to search for him. The search highlights the personal stakes underlying the British campaign against the Thuggee. The houseboy's hope fuels the investigation from a human angle.

During the search, Ram Das is killed by the Thugs and his severed hand is tossed into Lewis's bungalow. The gruesome evidence hardens the resolve to root out the cult. The discovery also underlines the personal costs of the conflict.

While pursuing Gopali, Thugs capture him and compel the younger initiate to kill his own brother, Ram Das. The act haunts Gopali and deepens the cult's influence over the household. The tragedy underscores the insidious reach of Thuggee.

In a bid to deter bandits, merchants band together to create a massive caravan. Captain Connaught-Smith leads the caravan, and the plan appears to fortify against raids. The bold move ironically gives the Thugs a larger target to strike.

That night, the Thugs strike the caravan with their signature precision, killing all members including Connaught-Smith and burying the bodies. The massacre demonstrates the cult's reach and ruthlessness. The catastrophe catalyzes Lewis's renewed intervention.

Lewis teams up with Lt. Silver to investigate the caravan's disappearance. He discovers that Silver is a Thuggee follower of Kali and shoots him in self-defense. The confrontation exposes the infiltration within the colonial ranks.

Lewis finds the buried corpses and returns to the cult's secret temple. He is captured and condemned to die on a burning pyre. The dark temple scene sets the stage for a final confrontation.

Gopali, tormented by his brother's death, frees Lewis from captivity. Lewis responds by throwing the high priest onto the pyre, triggering a chaotic escape from the temple. The act marks the cult's unraveling.

Lewis and Gopali race to meet Henderson, who dines with Patel Shari, the merchants' representative and Thuggee informer. Gopali identifies Patel's servant as a Thug; Patel kills the follower to silence him but inadvertently exposes himself. Henderson revokes Lewis's resignation and promotes him for exposing the network.

The epilogue states that the Thuggee cult was wiped out by the British, citing Major General Sleeman's line about their reformative impact in India. The narrative ties the adventure to a broader historical consequence and moral framing.