NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has given Rs 15 lakh in financial help to the parents of Ankit Saxena, the young photographer who was murdered last year in the national capital.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, along with Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj and Madipur MLA Girish Soni, visited the residence of the family of Saxena on Thursday and Sisodia handed over a cheque for Rs 15 lakh to the parents of the youth.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had assured the family of financial and legal support following the photographer’s killing. Ankit (23) was killed, allegedly by his Muslim girlfriend’s family, on February 1, 2018.
The BJP had criticised the AAP government for not fulfilling its promise of help until now. Yash Pal, Ankit’s father, told Sisodia that he wanted the road where his son lost life named after him. “It is my wish that the road or the square where my son lost his life be named after him in his memory if it is possible.”
Sisodia directed local MLA Girish Soni to send a representation in this regard to his office, and said, “Within the next 10 days, the government will call a meeting of the relevant road naming authority and fulfil your wish,” he said.
Ankit Saxena’s father was hailed last year for his role in maintaining calm in the area with the Delhi Police, preventing attempts to create a communal divide following the murder.
Sisodia said to the father, “I am amazed by the grace with which you have carried yourself despite going through such a tragic time. Your maturity and the sensitivity with which you responded to such a devastating incident has left a mark on all of us. We thank you for being a voice of reason.”
The family informed the deputy chief minister that local MLA Girish Soni had been in touch with them regularly and had assisted them in getting treatment at the local Delhi government hospital. They expressed their satisfaction with the treatment they were receiving.