#LoveJihad: Shraddha's father demands "worse than hanging" for Aftab
15 Nov 2022 11:30:11
New Delhi, Nov 15: The father of Shraddha Walkar, who was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner Aaftab Ameen Poonawala, exuded hope that his daughter could still be traced and said that he wanted a death sentence for the accused. The development relates to a spine-chilling incident that jolted the nation on Monday. Aaftab confessed to killing his 26-year-old friend, who went missing in May 2022. Detailing the heinous crime, the accused had told the police that he chopped up Shraddha's body and threw the pieces away.
As per sources, the couple stayed together for over two years and they began a relationship after interacting over a dating application.
"Police have recovered only 8-10 pieces. How can he (Aaftab) declare in a day's time that he did what he did? He lied before Mumbai Police but he immediately confessed here (to Delhi Police)," Vikas said while exuding hope for his daughter's trace. Upon being asked what punishment he wanted for his daughter's alleged murderer, who she had been in a live-in with for over two years, he said, "I want him to be hanged." He went on to say that if there was a punishment worse than capital punishment, he would want that for Aaftab. "Agar usne tukde tukde kiye hai toh uske bhi tuke tukde ho. Phaasi dijiye, usse bura ho toh who karo (if Aaftab has chopped up my daughter's body, then I want his body to be chopped too. If there is anything worse than a death sentence then award that)," Shraddha's father said. Upon being asked what justice meant for him in the case at hand, after everything that his daughter has been through, he said, "Whatever he (Aaftab) has declared, it has not been confirmed. If the facts are such, then he should be hanged. Shraddha's father mentioned he had spoken to his daughter in 2021. "I don't remember the month and day," he said. Vikas Walkar said that his daughter changed after she met with the accused Aaftab. "She was not into fashion until she met him. Her lifestyle changed after she befriended this guy (the murder accused)," the father told the media. Vikas was later asked about how he found out that Shraddha was nowhere to be found and that she was not around. He said that Sharaddha's friends apprised him of the fact that his daughter was not traceable. He mentioned that her friends had even said that Shraddha was not keen on ending her relationship with Aaftab. Vikas was asked if he was aware of troubles in Shraddha's relationship with Aaftab, to which he replied, "Shraddha didn't. But her friends mentioned that she was not keen on ending the relationship with Aaftab." "Shradhha's friend told us that she is not traceable," he said while adding that he had previously told Shraddha that it was not right to continue with Aaftab. He said, "I was sure that she wouldn't leave the person. A specialist also wondered why she was not leaving the guy." Vikas was asked about his interactions with the murder accused in the past or after the confession to the police. He said, "When my wife had died, Asftab would come over and meet us. But I was grieving my wife's death, so, I did not speak to him."
The father of the murder victim mentioned his daughter was untraceable but it was only in June that he was apprised of the seriousness of the situation. He told the media that he thought his daughter was away, but alright. The fact was coupled with Aaftab uploading pictures and updates on social media platforms, on behalf of Shraddha.
"I was thinking until now that Shraddha was fine and she must have gone somewhere. I thought my daughter was alright," Vikas said. Accused Aftab was interacting with Shraddha's friend until June via social media platforms. Vikas was asked if he took updates from Shraddha's friends.