Neighbours unhappy with media, say will welcome the couple back
NOIDA: More than nine years after the sensational double murder of Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj Banjade in Jalvayu Vihar, Noida, the society gears up to welcome back Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar, after the high court verdict.
Since the verdict, people are deliberating over the prospect that the couple might want to return to their L-block flat.
The Talwar couple has still not sold their flat and it is currently occupied by tenants.
DP Goyal, the chairman of the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) of Jalvayu Vihar says that the society will welcome the Talwar couple if they wish to return.“we will even hold a public meeting with them whenever they wish to return. When they were residents, they were an ideal, good couple involved in social work. I would refrain from commenting on the HC verdict, but the couple is most welcome,” said Goyal.
“I believe that the father did not commit the murders. Police’s investigation was horrible and there were too many loopholes in the case,” said Narendra Mohan, another resident.
After court announced its verdict , the locality was abuzz with reporters. But not many residents chose to appear in front of the cameras or speak to the press.
A veteran journalist covering the Aarushi case from eight years explained on the condition of ano- nymity: “Many in the society had considered the Talwar couple innocent and since the case has received such media spotlight, they partly blame the media for creating the narrative of honour killing. That is why no one is willing to speak up.”
When this HT correspondent got hold of an eight-year-old report written by another correspondent for the newspaper, it was found that many residents then had openly vouched for the Talwar couple’s innocence.
RP Bhowmick, a resident of the same building had then commented, “Police are just coming out with baseless theories. But, the police version is considered final, and no one else has the liberty to say anything.”
Many similar statements were accessed by HT where people were critical of police’s investigation and media’s narrative.
However, the CBI lower court’s verdict had changed the same strong statements of neighbours to disbelief as people started to ponder whether the dentist couple had actually murdered their own daughter.
A few recollect the morning when Aarushi’s body was found. One of them is a “press-wallah” who irons clothes at the entrance gate of the L Block building.
“I was studying in school when this case happened. After the murders, all we saw was TV channels flocking our society. Even till this date, only the media is bothered about the case,” said Ankit.
MEGHNA GULZAR, Director of the 2015 movie ‘Talvar’