Shortly after killing a tiger in 1825 British India, William Savage gets married to Sarah, the daughter of his commanding officer, Colonel Wilson. While preventing Gopal's widow from killing herself in accordance with the Hindu rite of 'Sati', he inadvertently comes across some wealthy people getting killed by thugs. With the help of Raja Chandra Singh, he discovers recently buried corpses and asks Wilson to get this investigated further, but is turned down, consistent with the British legacy of 'Do Nothing, Have Nothing Done, and Let No One Do Anything', and is pressurized to raise taxes. He then arrests a number of people, including Hussein, he believes to be thugs and holds them in a cell. He is compelled to release them after Wilson's instructions, as well as his transfer is arranged to another location. Before that could happen, he enlists the help of Hussein, changes his appearance, calls himself Gopal and joins the gang - consisting of both Hindus and Muslim - who are devotees of Devi Maa Kaali. He meticulously notes down details of their victims as the gang carries out it gruesome tasks with impunity. Slowly he starts to realize that he may well be under Maa Kaali's influence after eating Gurd - consecrated sugar -; strangling the real Gopal, as well as being intimate with a courtesan. More shocks are in store for him when he finds out that the British turn a Nelson's eye to the gangs' crimes for a bribe, as well as he may well be accused of being an 'approver'.
—rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)