A garlanded photograph of Yogita in her blue and white school uniform takes pride of place in the Thakre family's home on a narrow terrace. She used to wear a red thread, a symbol of her family deity, and believed no harm could come to her. Yogita, a class III student, was a lively and popular girl and usually accompanied her mother Vimal, a domestic worker, to the Mahal area in Nagpur. Everyone knew her there, including the vendors. She often sat and sold vegetables for them. She also knew the two police guards at the house of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Gadkari, who has a three-storey house there called ‘Bhakti.'
“She even gave his police guards sweets on her birthday and when she passed her exams,” says Ms. Vimal Thakre. On May 19, 2009, it was just another day for her. It was vacation time and Yogita came with her to work in the houses opposite the Gadkari wada as it's known here. “I had lunch with her around 2 p.m. and then I last saw her at 3.30 p.m. when she was in the guard room at Gadkari's house. She was talking to the guards there and I told them to keep an eye on her. These are decent people, I trusted them,” says Vimal.
That was the last time she ever saw Yogita. At around 5.30 p.m. she had finished some of her work and realised her daughter was not in the bazaar area. “I searched everywhere, I asked the police guard at Gadkari's house too and he said he didn't know since he had gone to the toilet. I ran around for two hours and came back to the “wada” and then Gadkari's driver told me Yogita was asleep in one of the cars. I was surprised since she never fiddled with cars. I went to the car, a big white one and my daughter was lying in it. They told me to take her away quickly. A doctor had come to see her and I think he said she was dead,” recounted a distraught Vimal.
Mr. Gadkari's house is located in the crowded area of Mahal. There is an iron gate now leading to the three-storied house with a guard room on one side. There is a modest parking space in the front of the house, inside the gate. Yogita was found in one of the cars parked in the compound that evening.
Haunted by her daughter's death, Vimal has been mentally affected, say her two other daughters, Kiran and Nisha. In an interview to The Hindu, the mother said Yogita's body was completely wet and when she held her in her lap, even her sari became soggy. “Her eyes were open and she looked as if she'd seen something horrible. There were nail marks on her forehead. I tried to revive her with water but she was bleeding and her mouth was full of blood. When I took her home, my husband came to carry her and his shirt was covered with blood.” When she picked up her daughter, she saw the police guard cycling away.
Despite being in the police, he never informed the local police station about Yogita's death.
“What did my child do to deserve this fate,” she wept. “She was young and full of life,” she said. Vimal is on medication for high blood pressure and has become very thin. But she is clear, like her other two daughters: “I want justice. My daughter did not die a natural death. She had blood on her body and private parts. I want to know who did this heinous act. I don't want money,” she cried.
The few people who have come forward to help the Thakre family have backed off, except for their old neighbour, Kishore Ingle, who has been charged with blackmail by Mr. Gadkari for allegedly demanding money from him. Mr. Ingle has been charge sheeted for this offence and the case is in court. Yogita's 18- year- old sister, Kiran, is spearheading the fight for justice for her sister. She has filed innumerable RTI queries on her mother's behalf for documents which show that the death was a mysterious one. “We even had to file an RTI for a copy of the FIR,” she said.
The last two years have been a nightmare for the family and they had to move from their house at Rahatekar wadi to two leaky rooms on a terrace nearby. Her mother has lost some of her household work in the old area. They were pressured by goondas and many people to back off and even offered money. “Sometimes we feel we have done some crime,” Kiran rued.
Keywords: Yogita Thakre death case, RTI act, CID probe, Nitin Gadkari
All the ethical things and clean image that are potrayed in front of public,the kind of promises to remove injustice and corruption are just a farce .yesterday i saw gadakri on aaj tak promoting anti corruption agenda but now i feel telling him that "COMMUNITY START FROM HOME"
What a shame ! A young child is dead in a bloody murder in a political leader's
compound and also her body is dumped in a car in the driveway. Where are all
the politicos who shout & scream about all other political issues ? This is a HUMAN
issue. Where is that guy the Shiv Sena leader ? Say something and help the poor
family, for God's sake.
Another sad story in the crown of India as we value life at the lowest value possible if it's not atached to power or money.
Hope media, NGO's and judiciary work together to deliver justice to this family after such a long wait. How are we expected to entrust the nation to such a leader even if a child is not safe at his door step and leader is not honest about the incident till date?
Mr gadkari, you have to feel sahme for this act happened in your home.shame on your part and on your leader for not doing justice to that poor family
Shameful !! Thanks to Hindu to bring out the case. The influential can
do anything and still go uncaught. How can a kid die inside a car in 2
hrs? Faulty leaking system? Oh my God...Is there no justice in my
country??
Congratulation to The Hindu to highlight this on Children Day.It is surprising that for last two years media was silent and family was fighting for justice without any public support.We should join hands now as our moral duty not to rest until justice is done and the culprits are punished.We have succeeded in the past in similar cases and we will not allow culprits to go free without punishment.
Appeal for speedy Justice for Yogita, a class III student as Justice delayed is Justice denied.
Whoever the accused the law of the land must take its course including in this case BJP President Mr.Gadkari , has to be removed from BJP Party immediately and sued in Fast track Court for speedy Justice.
Its shows the incredible poor people's fate...and now India uses it.
India growing,but these people are getting day by day poorer and helpless.May be the word 'Humanity' not there in the path of India's Growth.
How Pathetic,..?..We, every individual is responsible for this being a social animal.we must raise our voice against this,..
A Justice may reduce these culprits to do another..
ITS A TOTAL SHAME FOR THE LAW AND ORDER AND THE POLICE FORCE..
if LK Advani & BJP has got any sense of Honour...they should sack Nitin
Gadkari' as BJP chief
Thanks to The Hindu, this sad yet true face of India has seen the light on the Children's Day, though 2&1/2 years late. People in power can get away with murder. Well, this is not in the ambit of Anna Hazare's fight against Corruption and am sure there would be no candle march on the Rajpath for this poor girl or a prayer in memory of this poor girl . . . tomorrow nobody would even remember the name -"Yogita Thakre"
the power of power showing up...Jessica lal case to be remembered again...let justice not be denied...
It is sad to see people who did this are not caught
If only this child had belonged to upper sectors, the entire media would
have waited for days together in front of her house. We have become so
apathetic, that we do not even care for the lowest rung. Why the media
has not picked up this case, as it did with Aarushi Talwar? Unless and
until media pressure is there, our police and politicians will not even
move an inch forward.
Thanks The Hindu, for brining this matter to light, which was
supressed and hidden from public by these cruel politicians. Its
already 2 years now but still no justice to her. I hope this article
creates furore in public and justice gets delivered soon.
This is so sad to read, especially on Children's Day. What are we doing
as a society when the protection of vulnerable children is not a
priority?
People don't look out for others. Not even those who are supposed to
(like that policeman). I hope the people who did this are caught and
brought to justice, although in my opinion there really can be no
justice in this matter.
Where is Advani and his followers? Oh sorry i didn't knew that he is busy with Rath Yathra to fight corruption against current Govt. If he is so sincere to the common man of India. Can he take immediate measures to win the confidence of this poor family and Readers like us. And where is our Sonia Ji, PM & Rahul Ji and their followers... Umm!! they know very well about India.. Voters vote 1 day and for next 5 years no body will question them!! Annaji!! Your effort is falling part with latest allegations against your team!! Do you have any Bill to protect these Poor People??? Incredibile India!! Jai Hind!!
Oh my God! such cruelty to small children? Hope the Thakre family have the courage to fight on. Our moral support is with you.
This is the real face of India today, where the rich can get away with anything they want and the poor lot are the ones who have to suffer all the way. This is a dark incident in the history of rising india. To add insult to injury this heinous crime was committed in the vicinity of a respected national leader's house. Would this be the case if something like this happened to the daughter of some big politician or business man? I dont think so. Isn't life the same in one and all, irrespective of rich or poor. This will only blur the lines between the good and bad in this world where it is becoming difficult to trust anyone.
Police should not behave passive at least in this case.They should take the moral responsibility of getting the culprit out from the scene.Else Yogithas will be repeated in future for no doubt.
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