The distraught father of the two-year-old girl, who died in a car crash with actor Hema Malini's sedan, is inconsolable, while the injured mother is constantly asking "Chinni kahan hai?", not knowing her daughter is dead. The family is even more hurt that neither the actor nor her aides bothered to ask about their well-being though, they say, the accident was caused by her speeding car.
The mother's uncle, who did not wish to be identified by name, told IANS: "We have told the father, Hanuman Khandelwal, of the death of the child in the accident. He was shocked and has been crying since yesterday night. We try to console him but fail to do so.
"But we have not told the mother as she is still in a bad condition after the accident," the relative said.
The family was travelling in an Alto car when it was smashed by a Mercedes car coming from the opposite direction. The car was being driven by BJP MP Hema Malini's driver Mahesh Thakur, with the film actor seated in the car.
The accident took place on Thursday night near Dausa, over 50 km from here.
"The mother (Shikha) always asks us about her daughter... Chinni kahan hai? Chinni kahan hai?" (Where is Chinni?)
"We only tell her that she is fine and with us. We do not have the guts to tell her about the death as we are afraid how she will react. Chinni was the most lovable daughter in the family," the relative said.
He said Hema Malini's car was speeding, and this caused the accident.
The family is bitter that the BJP MP could have at least checked up on the condition of the family after the accident but she did not do so.
"We know she (Hema Malini) was also hurt but at least she could have inquired about the well being of the family... (She could have) asked the doctors to give (the family) proper treatment," said the relative.
Doctors at the SMS Hospital said the family was doing "well".
Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Rajendra Rathore visited them on Thursday night and directed the hospital to provide free treatment. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also visited the accident victims.
Hema Malini is doing "fine", doctors at the Fortis Hospital said.
(Anil Sharma can be contacted at anil.s@ians.in)
