It’s a little scary... to go back into the world, say Talwars
BREAKING THE SILENCE Talwars speak out for first time after acquittal in Aarushihemraj murders
It’s a huge huge void... nothing can fill. There was a young girl (in jail) who I grew close to and used to sleep next to me. She cared for me and she spoke to me just like Aarushi... we survived because this young girl was there with me.
NUPUR TALWAR
GHAZIABAD: “We were crying, both of us were crying. It was a very emotional moment... it was a big sense of relief.” This was Rajesh Talwar, father of Aarushi Talwar — his first comments on his release from jail after four long years.
In their first interview after their acquittal in connection with the Aarushi-hemraj double murder case, Rajesh and his wife Nupur appeared on ‘Hotstar,’ an online video streaming platform — speaking about their experience in Dasna jail, acquittal and memories of daughter Aarushi.
The Talwars were convicted by a Ghaziabad trial court in November, 2013. On October 12, the Allahabad high court acquitted them in the case after nearly four years.
“After being confined for so long ... You suddenly come into freedom... It’s a little scary... to face people, to face the world... to go back into the world... It’s a difficult thing which you have to slowly learn,” Rajesh said.
The Talwars said that they now just want to live with Aarushi’s memories and want to do something for her.
They said the public perception changed after the court order. “When we went to the Golden Temple immediately after our release, there were people coming up to us who you know showed sympathy and empathy towards us,” Rajesh said.
“There was a time after the bail was rejected and the appeal was not being heard... it was put on hearing but it had not been heard yet. It was the time when our friend came into our life and gave us some hope about everything... about how to live in jail, about how to help people. He told us not just to help people but also to talk to people. When you talk to people, we realise that everybody is in pain, everybody is suffering,” he said.
The Talwars said that losing Aarushi was “irreparable” and “inconsolable.”
“It’s a huge huge void... nothing can fill. There was a young girl (in jail) who I grew close to and used to sleep next to me. She cared for me and she spoke to me just like Aarushi. These four years we survived because of the fact that this young girl was there with me,” Nupur said.
On the judgment and their release, Rajesh said, “I have read quite a bit... It is almost like a complete exoneration. The judgment is in front of everyone... I just want to live with Aarushi’s memories and do some work for her.”.
“So, if something can happen, and if the system can improve and, you know... This should never happen to anybody again,” he said.
“God is the biggest judge,” Nupur said while replying to a question about the killers of Aarushi and Hemraj.
WHO KILLED HEMRAJ?
“We can’t comment... we don’t know anything of it. Personally feel for him. It’s not that we didn’t want to help him at that time. We did try that also, but we didn’t get any kind of response at that time. I am still waiting... whatever I can do, in whichever way I can, I’ll do,” Rajesh said.
Aarushi and Talwars’ domestic help Hemraj were murdered on the intervening night of May 15/16, 2008.
After the initial investigation by the Uttar Pradesh police and later by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the big question still remains — who killed Aarushi?