On the evening of November 26,2008,four-year-old Neeraj Waghela was at home with his father in a chawl near Azad Maidan,watching India play England in Cuttack on TV. It was around 11 pm,India were in the final stages of a successful run chase,when Ajmal Kasab barged into the Waghelas home. He asked a terrified Thakur Waghela,Neerajs father,for a glass of water. After he had emptied the glass,Kasab raised his weapon,shot Waghela dead,and strode out. As Papa turned to put down the glass,Kasab pushed me down and shot Papa, Neeraj said on Wednesday,as news of the Supreme Court confirming death for his fathers killer flashed on TV. Neeraj is eight now,and studies in Class 3 at Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil School in Sion (East). The family now lives in Sion. Neerajs sister Roshni,14,said she and her mother were away that evening. Her brother,eldest of three siblings,was at their paternal grandmothers home near CST. When Kasab came asking for water,the house was not bolted from inside, she said. For one whole year,Neeraj could not sleep. he was Papas laadla (pet), Roshni said. He would cry every night asking Mummy when Papa would come back. Mummy would lie and say Papa would return soon. He would get very scared if he saw Kasabs face on TV. He would scream,and we had to switch the TV off whenever something on the case was shown. Thakur Waghela was the sole breadwinner for his family. His widow Karuna Waghela has now got her husbands job as a sweeper at GT Hospital. The government paid for Neerajs initial psychiatric treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder but we still have to go to the doctor. I have to manage within my means. They moved us to this house in Sion,but people here are asking us to pay maintenance costs of up to Rs 1.8 lakh. On top of this,there is the childrens education. How will I manage in my sweepers salary? Karuna said.
