Shaikh alone couldn’t have killed Aishwarya: Father

The father of 19-year-old IT student Aishwarya Agrwal, who was brutally hacked to death on September 2, believes that apart from the two youths arrested in the case so far — her alleged boyfriend, Sohail Shaikh, and his friend Deepak Waghri — others were involved in the murder.

Aishwarya’s last rites were conducted on Sunday. Aishwarya’s father, Rajesh Agrwal, a civil engineer, said he wasn’t aware that Sohail was his daughter’s boyfriend and claims that people were defaming her after her death. The police believe Shaikh had told Waghri to try and seduce Aishwarya when she reached his home on September 2, and after failing to do so, Waghri stabbed her to death.

The deceased’s family suspects there are several gaps in the police’s theory. While talking to The Asian Age, after conducting his daughter’s last rites, Mr Agrwal said, “A few minutes before Aishwarya’s murder, she had called her mother to inform her that she would be dropping by the family’s medicine shop. In that case, how could it be that Aishwarya moved from Bolij locality to Waghri’s house in Jakat Naka mid-way ”

Mr Agrwal added that Waghri alone could not have stabbed Aishwarya “17 times” and that there could have been others who might have participated in the attack on her. He sought a wider probe in the case to bring out the complete facts related to the murder.

Mr Agrwal also alleged that the police were “showing a soft corner” for Shaikh and it had arrested him after an almost 24-hour delay. “Even though Shaikh’s role was clear from the beginning, the Virar police avoided arresting him,” he said.

Mr Agrwal said, “Around 2 am on Saturday, nearly half a day after Aishwarya had been murdered, as per the accused’s account, my friends and I had seen Shaikh on his bike in the area. It appeared as if he had been celebrating Aishwarya’s death.”

According to investigators, Aishwarya allegedly visited Waghri’s house often to spend time with Shaikh. On Friday, Aishwarya had visited Waghri’s residence, as usual, but the latter allegedly tried to rape her and, after failing, hacked at her 17 times with an axe.

Police officials suspect that it was Shaikh who had encouraged Waghri. “We suspect that Shaikh had assured Waghri that if he tried to seduce Aishwarya, she would not refuse and then he could have a sexual relationship with her,” said a police source. Aishwarya’s father, however, rejected these allegations. “I was not aware about Aishwarya being in a relationship with Shaikh. I think, if at all, he could have been just part of her circle of friends. He may have taken advantage of this friendship,” said the grieving father.

Recalling the sequence of events on Friday, Mr Agrwal said that Aishwarya had been unwell and was resting at home. Around noon, she called her mother to inform her she would visit her at their shop. Later, when Aishwarya’s mother tried calling her around 1 pm no one picked up the phone and she called her husband.

Mr Agrwal dialled Aishwarya’s number and a police official picked up the phone only to inform him about Aishwarya’s death.