NEW DELHI: Anjali Kumari, the 20-year-old woman who was dragged under a car for 12 kilometres in the national capital on Sunday, was the sole breadwinner of her family.
After her father died last year, she supported her family and paid for her mother's dialysis by working part-time at an event management company, which also meant that she had to work late nights.
"Her father died last year. Being the eldest of all five siblings, she understood her responsibilities at a very tender age," one of the members of the victim's family told TNIE.
She used to work at events like marriages and functions as a decorator. "She used to shower flowers on the function attendees there," said Prem Singh, the victim's uncle.
Anjali was killed in the early hours of New Year's day after her scooter was hit by a car. Her body was entangled underneath the vehicle and dragged along for 12 kilometres resulting in a large portion of flesh peeling off the back side of her body.
Despite losing a father at such a young age, Anjali realised her family's financial condition and became the sole breadwinner supporting a family of five people. Two of her sisters were already married.
Recalling the fateful day, Anjali's mother Rekha said, she left for her work on the evening of December 31 and promised to return by 2-3 am. "Last time I spoke to her was around 9 pm. She promised that she would be back home soon," the mother said, adding later her phone became unreachable.
The next day, i.e., January 1, the mother received a call from a police station. "They asked me about the scooty's number and I told them it belonged to my daughter. They asked me to come to the police station but I told them I was unwell," she said.
A vehicle was sent to her house in the morning which brought her to Sultanpuri Police Station, where the news of her daughter's horrific death was disclosed only hours later despite repeated requests.
"I thought it was a minor accident and even after my repeated requests they were not showing me, my daughter. I called my brother after which the police revealed that she had been killed in an accident," the mother said.
The victim's mother also expressed her concern over her daughter being sexually assaulted but the police denied such claims. "At a time when people are wearing 4-5 clothes, she was found without a single cloth on her body. And the police are terming it just a mere accident," she said.
Meanwhile, a senior Delhi Police official clarified that the post-mortem of the victim was conducted by a Board of doctors and only after their report is out, further action or any other section could be added to the FIR which will be based on evidence.
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