Click to play videoNew Delhi: It was the night of January 10, 1999 when six people including four policemen lost their lives. They were mowed down by a BMW driven allegedly by Sanjeev Nanda, the grandson of a former navy chief.
Families of the victims of that accident have been waiting for justice for the past nine years.
The youngest son of Peru Lal, a home guard with the Delhi Police who was mowed down along with five others on the night of January 10 1999, recalls the fateful night with a lot of clarity even though he was only six years old at that time.
"Papa finished his food and was about to leave. I started crying. Then he took me for a round on his cycle dropped me back home and then went to work," says Naveen, who is now 15.
Things were far more difficult for Peru Lal's wife Phula Devi who had a daunting task ahead - that of raising three children alone. She broke down at the very mention of her husband.
I had to face a lot of trouble. I had three kids and no one to earn. They still haven't started earning. Only I know how I brought them up," says she.
All Phula Devi got from the Delhi Police was Rs 1 lakh in compensation. She says the only thing that kept her going was her faith in God and the support of her relatives. Her children are doing just fine, but being without a father, they say, is something that will always hurt.
"During festivals, we used to see other children celebrating with their fathers and we always wished we had a father too," says Naveen's elder brother, Praveen.
And being without a father also means making big sacrifices. In Praveen's case, it meant giving up on his dream to study further.
"The burden of the family is on me. I won't study after class twelve. I have to get my sister married off too," says he.
Peru Lal's family has lost all faith in the media and the judiciary. Justice they feel is a far cry. All that they now want from the Government is the guarantee of a secure future and a comfortable life.
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