HIT 3 (2025) Ending Explained: SP Arjun’s Undercover War, CTK Cult, and HIT Universe Expansion

When HIT: The Third Case (or HIT 3) opens with Nani’s (The Natural actor) SP Arjun Sarkaar behind bars, calmly narrating his story to a fellow inmate, we sense something is off — not just with the man, but with the system he once served. What follows is a brooding and blood-soaked descent into one of the darkest chapters of the HIT universe, where justice doesn’t always wear a uniform and truth often hides behind layers of pain. Directed by Sailesh Kolanu, this third installment in the Homicide Intervention Team series trades clean police procedure for psychological chaos, exploring how far a cop can go before he becomes indistinguishable from the criminals he hunts.

Now that the dust has settled and the final blood has dried, it’s time to unravel what really happened — who Arjun killed and why, who the shadowy CTK cult truly is, what ACP Dhanya Mohan’s death means for the story, and how HIT 3 sets the stage for a broader, grittier cinematic universe. Let’s break it down.

Plot Summary: What Happens in HIT 3?

The film begins in the present, with SP Arjun Sarkaar (Nani) narrating his story to a fellow inmate inside a prison cell. His calm, composed demeanor contradicts the blood on his hands, piquing curiosity. Why is a decorated officer behind bars? Through a series of flashbacks, the film starts to peel back the layers.

Arjun Investigates His Own Crime: A Calculated Infiltration

Following the events of HIT: The Second Case, SP Arjun Sarkaar (Nani) is transferred to the HIT Visakhapatnam branch to take over from SP Krishna Dev (KD), who is now missing in action. Arjun, known for his no-nonsense attitude and violent methods, immediately asserts control — but beneath his hard-boiled exterior lies a far more complex agenda.

In a shocking twist early in the film, we learn that Arjun is not just hunting killers — he is one. The story cuts to a scene in a dense forest, where Arjun captures and tortures a man by hanging him upside down before slitting his jugular vein. The act is recorded, not for vanity or cruelty, but as part of a larger plan. Post-mortem, the man’s organs are surgically removed, mimicking the gruesome pattern of a series of unsolved murders tied to a criminal network.

The twist? Arjun has committed this brutal act intentionally to infiltrate the very investigation he is now leading. By staging the murder in a manner consistent with the others, he ensures he is assigned to the case. What initially appears to be a rogue killing becomes a strategic move to go undercover and flush out a larger, more dangerous criminal enterprise. To infiltrate the dark web cult and destroy it from the inside. By uploading these executions, Arjun secures a spot inside CTK, aiming to dismantle it like a Trojan Horse. His strategy is morally grey — and that’s exactly where HIT 3 wants to operate.

As the forensic details emerge, including the deliberate extraction of organs, Arjun plays both sides — feeding the team just enough information while keeping his real motives hidden. This double life forms the moral crux of HIT: The Third Case: how far is too far in the pursuit of justice?

Mrudula: Love, Lies, and Layers

Arjun’s romantic track with Mrudula (Srinidhi Shetty), whom he meets via a matrimonial website, provides emotional depth to his otherwise clinical character. But the relationship isn’t just a subplot — it becomes a pivotal anchor as the case spirals. Mrudula, a member of the HIT team herself, is eventually drawn into the chaos both professionally and personally.

The CTK Murders: A Pattern Across States

Soon, similar brutal murders surface from across the country, all sharing chilling similarities — torture, missing organs, and cryptic symbols. These are not isolated crimes but the work of a gruesome network. Arjun and his HIT team discover the existence of a shadowy cult named CTK — Capture, Torture, Kill, who flaunt their crimes via the dark web.

The Burmese Palace in Arunachal Pradesh

The trail leads Arjun to an old Burmese palace tucked away in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh — the operational base of the CTK cult. Going undercover, he poses as a fellow killer to infiltrate the cult. His plan unravels when they attempt to murder a 9-month-old infant. Arjun drops the act and unleashes fury, leading to a harrowing one-man takedown mission that’s as raw as it is personal.

KD Returns: The Crossover Moment

In a surprise twist, SP Krishna Dev (Adivi Sesh) makes a mid-movie cameo, helping Arjun battle the cult members during the final assault. Their brief team-up brings much-needed continuity and fan service, bridging the gap between HIT 2 and HIT 3 while teasing the growing cinematic universe.

Alpha and the Organ Racket

The CTK cult is led by Alpha, played chillingly by Prateik Babbar — a sadistic killer with a God complex. He is not just orchestrating murders for sadistic pleasure, but is also part of a dark web-powered organ trafficking ring with ties to a powerful pharma company. When Alpha kidnaps Mrudula, Arjun is forced to choose between duty and emotion. In the end, he guns Alpha down, but not before revealing that Alpha’s brother had already been killed — robbing the villain of his final high.

Arjun’s Fall: A Hero Turns Himself In

Despite dismantling the CTK cult, Arjun does not walk away a free man. He falsely admits to all murders to protect a martyred female officer — ACP Dhanya Mohan — who had been working on the case and had lost her life during the investigation. The system accepts Arjun’s confession, and he is jailed, choosing moral closure over legal redemption.

Who Was ACP Dhanya Mohan and How Did She Sacrifice Herself?

In a brutal third act set in a decrepit Burmese palace in Arunachal Pradesh, we see hostages being tortured by CTK. Among them is a woman who sacrifices her life to save a baby. In the film’s final moments, Arjun reveals this woman was ACP Dhanya Mohan, an undercover cop who allowed herself to be captured.

Her self-sacrifice becomes the emotional core of the film’s ending. Arjun dedicates the operation’s success to her memory, proving that heroism in HIT 3 isn’t just about brute force—it’s also about compassion and courage.

Adivi Sesh Returns: Does SP Krishna Dev “KD” IPS Have a Cameo?

Yes — and it’s a welcome one. Adivi Sesh’s KD from HIT 2 appears in the climax as a surprise reinforcement. When Arjun is gravely wounded, KD enters the CTK hideout with tactical support, helping neutralize the cultists.

It’s a brief but fan-pleasing cameo that binds the HIT universe tighter. KD’s presence affirms that HIT isn’t just a series — it’s a cinematic universe with continuity and evolving characters.

Ending Explained: Who Runs the CTK Cult?

The CTK cult — short for Capture, Torture, Kill — operates via the dark web, inviting twisted members to murder and upload proof for entry. The mastermind? A man known only as Alpha (played chillingly by Prateik Babbar), who requires all initiates to complete two gruesome murders.

But Alpha’s sadism is not the full picture. CTK also trades hormonal glands harvested from terrified victims to a Swedish pharma company, which uses them to manufacture a potent drug. The person tying it all together? Samuel Joseph — the very inmate Arjun narrates his story to. In a final act of justice, Arjun slits Joseph’s throat in prison, completing his mission.

Arjun’s Vulture, Radio Signals, and The CTK Showdown

One of the film’s most inventive sequences involves Arjun’s pet vulture, which he cleverly tags with a radio transmitter. This seemingly bizarre but brilliant tactic becomes a crucial lifeline for the HIT team, allowing them to track the elusive CTK cult’s hideout deep in Arunachal Pradesh. As the vulture flies over the dense forest, its signals guide the police to the remote old Burmese palace where the cult operates. Meanwhile, Arjun infiltrates the compound undercover but soon finds himself trapped in a brutal, pit-style fight against the cult’s ruthless leader, Alpha, and his henchmen.

Just when Arjun is pushed to the brink, battered and outnumbered, SP Krishna Dev (KD) arrives with reinforcements, turning the tide. Together, they free the captive hostages, including Arjun’s partner Mrudula, and finally bring down the cult. The sequence blends raw, visceral hand-to-hand combat reminiscent of The Raid with tense psychological battles, showcasing Nani’s most physically demanding and intense performance in the series so far.

One of the most gripping twists in HIT 3 is how SP Arjun Sarkaar deliberately gets himself arrested to take down the true villain behind the gruesome murders. Aware that the entire conspiracy is masterminded by Samuel Joseph, a powerful and corrupt pharma magnate who is secretly involved in the dark web cult’s organ trafficking racket, Arjun uses his incarceration as a calculated move.

With covert support from SP Krishna Dev (KD), Arjun shares his story with a fellow inmate—who is later revealed to be Samuel himself—gaining his trust before striking. This bold gambit allows Arjun to get close enough to eliminate Samuel in a brutal, no-holds-barred confrontation inside the prison walls. The sequence highlights Arjun’s willingness to sacrifice his own freedom and reputation to deliver true justice, underscoring the film’s recurring theme of vigilantism in a broken system.

Mid-Credit Scene and Future Setup: Who Is ACP Veerappan, and What to Expect in HIT: The Fourth Case?

The Mid-Credit Surprise: Enter ACP Veerappan

Just when HIT: The Third Case seems to settle into its conclusion, the mid-credit scene pulls us back in — with a bang. Tamil star Karthi makes a dramatic entrance as ACP Veerappan IPS, a new lead officer in the HIT universe. At a highway checkpoint in Chennai, Veerappan uncovers a dead body hidden inside a cargo truck. Calm, unfazed, and razor-sharp, he delivers a memorable line: “I know every Indian language,” slyly announcing himself as a pan-India cop — and a new enforcer of justice in this expanding cinematic universe.

The scene not only teases the next location — Chennai — but hints at a tonal shift. Karthi’s screen presence is intense yet cool, suggesting a sleeker, perhaps more calculated style of investigation, unlike Arjun’s raw brutality or KD’s stoic intelligence.

Who Will Lead HIT: The Fourth Case?

With HIT: The Fourth Case already in production, it’s confirmed that Karthi will headline the film as ACP Veerappan. His character appears to be equal parts brawn and brains, bringing a distinctive South Indian flavor to the series. The franchise seems to be embracing a rotating hero format, à la True Detective, where each installment introduces a new officer, city, and standalone crime.

As for familiar faces like SP Arjun Sarkaar (Nani) or SP Krishna Dev “KD” (Adivi Sesh), their return remains uncertain — though not impossible. With Arjun behind bars and KD missing in action, their stories may converge in future cases or spin-offs. But for now, all eyes are on Chennai, and on Veerappan’s first major case in this twisted crime universe.