GHAZIABAD: “Get up, beta, click my picture.... We are proud of you,” Kartik Vasudev’s mother wept as she held on to her son’s coffin for the last time.
The body of the 21-year-old management student, who was shot dead in Toronto on April 7, arrived in Ghaziabad on Saturday. The coffin was taken to Kartik’s house in Rajendra Nagar and then to the crematorium for the last rites around 4.30pm.
It was in January this year that Kartik had moved to Toronto to study marketing management at Seneca College. He had recently taken up a part-time job at a Mexican restaurant chain to augment his income. On April 7, he was on his way to work when he was shot dead outside Sherbourne station. Police in Toronto arrested a youth, Richard Jonathan Edwin, who, they claimed, had shot Kartik dead. Calling it a “random attack”, the cops did not assign any motive behind the crime.
Kartik’s father, Jitesh Vasudev, said they would go to any extent to get justice for their son. “In a few days, the rituals here will be done. If required, we will go to Canada to make sure that the investigation in our son’s case is done properly. The police in Toronto have arrested the shooter. But they are yet to find out the reason behind the killing. I’m in touch with the investigating officer there,” Jitesh said.
Kartik’s parents recalled how their son had a penchant for photography and would often click his mother’s pictures.
“After Class 12, most youths do not have any idea what they want to do in life. But our son was much focused — he dreamt of moving to Canada and had done his research for that. He did everything on his own. Today, I can say that I am a proud father,” sobbed Jitesh.
The parents rued they did not get any call from the government. “No official from the government has got in touch with us so far. There have been only condolence tweets from the external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar. The government should at least come forward and support us at this difficult time,” he said. Jitesh said it was not just their son, but many other students go abroad for higher studies. “Anything can happen to them. The government should consider that,” he added.
Kartik’s mother, Pooja, said she had written to the Prime Minister’s office. “Not just the PMO, I have also uploaded the letter on social media. We are trying our best…. But it is their (the government’s) duty to contact us. So far, we haven’t received any communication,” she added. Kartik’s mother appealed to the PM to ensure their son got justice. “It feels like we have been orphaned by our government.”
