The next morning, Kuttan Pilla summons Rajan and Sanal to the panchayat office. "That dog is my unofficial pet," Kuttan declares. "You hit my dog, you insult me. Pay ₹50,000 fine or leave the village."
Rajan, who has never seen the inside of a courthouse except to deliver shoes, says calmly: "Nna thaan case kodu" (Hindi: "Main case karunga." )
Everyone laughs. Rajan files a case in the Munsiff Magistrate Court, Kannur . Not against the dog. Against Kuttan Pilla for extortion, and against the panchayat for allowing a "menace animal" to roam freely.
