Girl’s drowning brings family’s life to standstill

NEW DELHI: Savita, who died during a picnic at a water amusement park, had pestered everyone at home to allow her to go on this trip. Her mother was scared as Savita was epileptic.
“She asked me two weeks ago but I refused as it was a water amusement park. But she really wanted to go with her NGO friends and I gave in,” said a weeping Raj Kumari, who has barely recovered from the shock of her husband’s untimely death a year ago.Amrita, Savita’s elder sister who was to get married in a few days, has now refused to tie the knot.
Family members said the 19-year-old was the sole earning member of the family and enrolled at NGO AASRA five months ago to take sewing lessons. “She was also pursuing political science (H) from School of Open Learning in DU,” said Amrita.
“Around 12 noon, I spoke to her and she was having a lot of fun with her three friends after a long time,” said younger sister Sarita.
Savita did not know how to swim, the family said. Apparently, nobody noticed that she was in trouble till her unconscious body started to float. She was taken to a hospital but could not be saved. The family suspects foul play and police have registered a case.
Their father died of jaundice in 2015. Since then, Savita, who lived in Uttam Nagar, started to work and used to earn Rs 9,000 a month.
The park authorities refused to comment on the mishap.