Trapped

Long ago, a scholar named Chiranjiva managed a guru-kula, a School for students situated in a hermitage.

A Bizarre Crime

One unfortunate day, a man lay dead in front of Chiranjiva’s hermitage. The man had been brutally stabbed. In shock, Chiranjiva approached the lifeless body and drew out the sharp dagger impaled in the man’s heart. A sudden commotion arose as bystanders began accusing Chiranjiva of the murder. Soon, an inquisitive crowd gathered, and the soldiers arrested Chiranjiva, who was swiftly taken before King Vallalasena.

The Accusation and Trial

During the trial, despite witnesses testifying against him, King Vallalasena remained unconvinced about Chiranjiva’s guilt. Chiranjiva stood his ground, asserting his innocence. He claimed that an unknown assailant had committed the murder and left the body at his hermitage. He had merely removed the blade in a vain attempt to help the victim.

Chiranjiva’s Last Plea

Upon hearing Chiranjiva’s version of events, King Vallalasena pronounced his sentence. He decided to grant Chiranjiva a fortnight to set things in order at his hermitage before returning to face his death sentence. However, the King required someone to stand as surety, a responsibility that Chiranjiva had no one to fulfill. After much thought, the King decided to let him go on his own but insisted on his return on the appointed day.

Preparing for The End

Chiranjiva returned to his hermitage, a place of serenity now overshadowed by sorrow. He put his affairs in order and prepared himself for the inevitable. On the night before his supposed execution, a band of masked men kidnapped him, blindfolded him, and took him to an unknown location, paying no heed to his pleas regarding his promise to the King.

The Twist of Events

On the fifteenth day, a villager, who was a neighbour of Chiranjiva, falsely claimed to the King that Chiranjiva had absconded. Upon hearing this, the king, recognizing the deception, accused the villager of the murder and put him under arrest until the real culprit was found.

The Truth Unveiled

Following a merciless interrogation, the King managed to unravel the truth. The villager, seething with jealousy over Chiranjiva’s prosperity, had committed the murder and staged the entire scene to frame Chiranjiva. The scholars’ ordeal ended when the King brought him forth, confirmed his innocence, and presented him with a handsome reward for his unfortunate ordeal. As for the jealous neighbour, he faced the consequences of his heinous act.