'I thought it was a prank'

PUNE: When we first received the call at the TOI office, I thought somebody was playing a prank. But then, we have to — I repeat, we have to, or lose our jobs (just kidding) — take every such call very seriously.
Even after DCP Sunil Phulari divided his men and we three journos into two teams, I thought all this might be unnecessary. And while Siddhartha was negotiating with the racketeer, who was not ready to give his exact location, my prank feeling only grew stronger.
However, it was exciting to know that Siddhu and I were the bait. And when our “rickshaw driver� (constable Nandu Shinde) pinned down the first accused at the Pune University gate, it was a scene straight from a khaki film, only this time it was real.
I felt we had probably stumbled upon something big, as big as the MPSC scam. However, my joy was shortlived as we had to wait for nearly two hours at Sagar Lodge on Baner road.