Babar took the two Pakistani terrorists back to Pune after returning to Raxaul in a cab from Birat Nagar. From Raxaul, the trio had boarded a private passenger bus to reach Patna, after which they travelled on fake identity particulars – made in the name of Hindus – on a passenger train to Pune. From Pune, Babar hired a cab to take Usman and Rehmat to Vikhroli railway station in Mumbai. From the railway station, they took a bus to the Mata Amritabai slum, where Babar had rented a room.

‘Both of you are to stay in this room at all times. Please don’t step out. Whatever you need, I will get for you,’ he instructed the two young men.

‘How far is the IIS&T from here?’ asked Usman.

‘It is just a kilometre away.’

‘And what is the plan?’ Rehmat wanted to know.

Babar pulled out the sketch he had made of the IIS&T campus. ‘At the back of the campus is a breach in the wall for water pipes. The breach is narrow but good enough for a man of normal build to squeeze through,’ he said and pointed out the spot on the sketch.

‘Around 400 metres away from the breach, across the campus wall that separates it from this slum, lies an abandoned school. No one goes there. Apparently, there was a fire there years ago and many people died. It is considered haunted or unlucky, which is why no one goes there, except alcoholics at times.

‘On the night of 4 January, both of you will shift to that school building. At 6 a.m. the following morning, you are to enter the IIS&T campus via the breach. Once inside, you will make your way to a nearby building that is no longer in use,’ he showed the boys the structure on the sketch. ‘You will hide in a water tank on the roof of this building. Any questions?’

‘No. What do we do once we are situated in the campus?’ asked Usman.

‘The American scientist, Samuel Price, will begin his lecture at 9.30 a.m. This will be followed by high tea at 11 a.m. and lunch at 12.30 p.m. in the convention centre. I will be supervising the high tea.

‘By around 1.30 p.m., Price and the Indian scientists will come out of the convention centre, which is close to where you will be hiding. You are to take up your positions on the roof by 1.15. As soon as you see them, fire at the white man and all those surrounding him, then go back the same way you slipped into IIS&T.’

‘What about the guns?’ asked Rehmat.

‘Leave them in the water tank. Once you exit the campus, mingle with the crowds in the slum so you are not spotted, then take a cab to Vikhroli railway station. From there, take another cab to Mumbai Central railway station.