It was on Friday at Rishikesh that the Sharmas saw to the immersion of Twisha’s remains in the Ganga. What should have been a private moment of parting for the Bhopal case has become something of a public statement. The mood was hushed, but the intent was plain: they won’t be satisfied until there is some form of accountability.
Down at Triveni Ghat for the Asthi Pravah, the family spoke of how much Twisha meant to them and to this place. “She had a way with Rishikesh and the river,” said her father, Navnidhi Sharma. They were here to do as she would have wanted, to pay their respects by the water’s edge.
Family performs Asthi Pravah in Rishikesh
Navnidhi sees the legal side of things as only the start of a 'massive struggle‘ – one he says is up against ‘very powerful people’. But he has confidence in the system, in the courts and those who will be looking into it, and for the family, there is hope this will make a difference down the line.
His son, Major Harshit Sharma, is of like mind. With the CBI in the picture and the High Court having made the call, he is optimistic about where things are heading.
Allegations and early hurdles
Then there are the claims from cousin Ashish Sharma. He says Twisha was under a lot of strain, both emotionally and financially, in the time before she died. To him, the whole thing is ‘highly suspicious’. And when the first round of questions were asked, the family hit some walls; they had to put in the work for days to get anyone to listen.
That’s why they went to the High Court for suo motu intervention, Ashish explains. A team from Delhi was sent to the scene after that. He puts it down to the fact that once the media and the public got wind of it, the authorities had no choice but to step up the probe.
If you ask the family, here is how it has played out so far:
– We made our case to the High Court for suo motu intervention
– An investigation was carried out on the ground by a Delhi team
– The state in Madhya Pradesh put in for a CBI to look at it
– The Supreme Court has now taken note of the matter
Courts and agencies step in
The heat of the moment, as Ashish puts it, is what prompted the MP government to ask for the CBI. The Supreme Court has also waded in. It may be a slow process, but he is firm that if they get a fair result, it will be a standard to be met.
Major Harshit is content to let the chips fall where they may and see the investigation run its course. The court has been right in his book. For the family, it is a matter of being patient but unyielding.
Why this moment resonated beyond one family
For the Sharmas, what happened on Friday was a way to close a chapter and make a promise at the same time. It was a nod to Twisha’s ties with the Ganga, and in a sense, the opening of a long road to justice that anyone in a similar bind over a dowry might understand.
They are not in a rush to be heard; they are focused on due process. In short, this is what they are after:
– An agency to do a proper, independent job of the investigation
– No one is above answer, no matter their clout
– Something to put a stop to this kind of thing in the future
What comes next
They have put their word on it: they will be at this until it is over. You can trust the courts and the ones on the ground to do their part. The ceremony in Rishikesh on Friday was more than a last goodbye. It was a way of saying that even when you are in mourning, you can keep a case moving, one step at a time.
