Mumbai: He waited, and waited — for his daughter’s ashes and justice. Now, he is no more.
Vikas Walkar, father of Shraddha Walkar who was brutally murdered by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawala in Delhi’s Mehrauli, died due to suspected heart attack in Maharashtra’s Palghar on Sunday.
The nation was shaken by the gruesome killing which came to light on May 18, 2022, after Aaftab strangled her, chopped the body into 35 pieces and stored the body parts in a 300-litre refrigerator before disposing of them in the Chhatarpur forest area.
Walkar had been tirelessly seeking justice for his daughter’s horrific death. More than two and a half years after the inhuman murder, Shraddha’s remains are yet to be handed over to the family by Delhi Police.
All this while Aaftab is lodged in prison amid the ongoing murder trial in the Shraddha murder case.
Walkar, who was distressed and disturbed, used to live with his son in Palghar’s Vasai. His health deteriorated on Sunday morning. He was rushed to the hospital, only to be declared dead on arrival.
A postmortem examination has been ordered, with Vasai Police saying that Walkar’s death appears to be due to cardiac arrest.