Aditya Sudarshan's "Live and exclusive" (short story, idea of consciousness, free): Burglar-proofing a house

There are familiar stories about aware planets - like Asimov's "Nemesis" & one of his Foundation Trilogy sequels that features a world-entity called Gaia. This amusing story is a very beautiful twist on that idea, applied to a very mundane problem.

A note for readers unfamiliar with Hindi: Story uses the word "bhoot" a couple of times. It's sound is Hindi for "ghost".

Story summary.

Vir Saxena, a TV journalist, is sensing a story in what appears to be a haunted house - a recent 3 story construction in a prosperous Delhi neighborhood where 2 burglars have recently died in mysterious & unexplainable circumstances.

House practically invites burglars. There is no visible security. Mohan Achrekar, the lone occupant, is 60 year old & frail. But what the burglars, & cops investigating their death, haven't counted on is - security need not be visible!

Fact sheet.

First published: The Scientific Indian, 24 December 2008.
Rating: A.
Download full text.
Related: Stories that feature an intelligent house.
Added to my best of the year 2008 list.