Shraddha Walkar's father calls for probe against accused Aaftab's family
In a hunt for justice for his daughter Shraddha Walkar, who was reportedly murdered in Delhi by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawalla earlier this year, Vikas Walkar demanded the maximum penalty against the accused and everyone involved in the incident. "Aaftab must meet the same fate as my daughter. He must be hanged," Vikas said while addressing the media in Mumbai.
Why does this story matter?
- On November 12, Delhi Police arrested Poonawalla for the murder of Walkar on May 18, chopping her into 35 pieces and disposing of them over 18-20 days in a Delhi forest after storing them in a refrigerator.
- Poonawalla was put through numerous rounds of a narco test and a polygraph test but reportedly showed no remorse.
Victim's father demands justice
"The police must also probe the roles of his family members, his father, mother and brother, to see if they are involved in any way or any other person is involved in the crime," Shraddha Walkar's father was quoted as saying by news outlet The Indian Express. Notably, this was also his first public comment after the death of his daughter.
'Need counselling and control over children who turn 18'
Vikas, while highlighting the "freedom" individuals get once they turn 18, stated that it should be assessed more. "There should be counselling and control over children who turn 18. My daughter told me while leaving home that she was an adult; that's why I am saying this," he said. He also added that "what happened to him" should not happen to anybody else.
She said 'I want to stay with him': Walkar's father
The victim's father also revealed his last conversation with Shraddha Walkar before she left home. "Before leaving home, I had a conversation with Shraddha. I said he isn't from our community, don't stay with him. She said 'I want to stay with him'," he stated.
Details on Walkar's bone-chilling murder
On May 18, Walkar and Poonawalla reportedly got into a fight at their rented residence in Delhi over the victim's demands to fetch household items from their hometown in Maharashtra's Vasai. When she started yelling, the accused ended up strangling Walkar to death while trying to restrain her. On the night of the murder, he was under the influence of drugs, Poonawalla told cops.
Poonawalla's narco and polygraph tests
The police conducted polygraph and narco tests on Poonawalla to verify his conflicting statements. The investigator's suspicions grew on Poonawalla as he easily gave away all information and was cooperative. Meanwhile, the only sustainable admission in the court is a statement documented in front of a magistrate under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) Section 164.
Weapons allegedly used by Poonawalla recovered by police
On the basis of Poonawalla's confession during police custody, investigators retrieved key evidence. Last month, the police retrieved five knives, all 5-6 inches long, which Poonawalla reportedly used to chop Walkar's body. However, the saw used by the accused still remains missing.
