PINKY’S PARENTS ARE UNTRACEABLE

Nagpur: In a strange development, a few weeks after two-year-old Pinky Solanki died after falling into an unguarded ditch dug by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, her parents left town and are no longer traceable. Interestingly, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) recovered penalty of Rs2.18 crore from Reliance Jio after holding it responsible for the tragic incident, but did not pass on any compensation to the family.The high court on Thursday issued notices to owner of Reliance Jio Mukesh Ambani and other respondents on a public interest litigation filed by activist Shehbaz Siddiqui. The PIL exposes the sheer negligence of Reliance Jio in digging up roads and laying cables without proper restoration, and lack of monitoring and action from NMC. Siddiqui had pleaded for justice to Pinky by compensating the family, and criminal action against Reliance Jio and other respondents.
On Friday, TOI visited the area where the Solanki couple and Pinky used to reside. Pinky’s father Harkesh, mother Kajori and herself used to stay on the footpath on North Ambazari Road, near University Library Square. Harkesh was a resident of Gangapur, in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, and used to earn a living here by making tattoos.
Another family from the same Banjara community is residing now at the spot where the Solanki couple used to live. People from the Banjara community residing in the area told TOI that the Solanki couple left the city a few months after Pinky’s death. “The couple were residing with us for last few years. We don’t know why they left the city soon after losing their daughter. A lot of people used to come and visit Harkesh after the incident,” the Banjaras said.
Siddiqui had lodged a complaint with Sitabuldi police station on April 6, 2015, demanding to book Reliance Jio for Pinky’s death. “Police did not take any action on my complaint even after I pursued the case. Policemen told me a few months ago that they could not trace the Solanki couple. I had met Harkesh after the incident. When I went to meet Harkesh at the same spot, even I could not find him. The Solanki couple used to reside at the same place even after Pinky’s death. They left the city only after my complaint to the police,” he said.
In fact, officials of NMC and police did nothing despite Pinky’s tragic death. Pinky fell into the unguarded ditch and died on March 6. NMC swung into action only after TOI’s report about the incident on March 9, 2015.
Considering TOI’s report and Siddiqui’s police complaint, NMC went on to recover a penalty some seven months after the incident. Otherwise, NMC was trying to avoid even recovering a penalty, just like there has been no criminal action against Reliance Jio.