Vikas Walkar, the father of Shraddha Walkar, whose gruesome murder in 2022 sent shockwaves across the country, passed away on Sunday (February 9) at his residence in Vasai city, located in Maharashtra’s Palghar district.
According to police sources, Walkar was discovered unresponsive by his family members in the morning. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
“The preliminary investigation suggests cardiac arrest as the cause of death,” a senior police official stated.
However, authorities have sent the body for postmortem, and a conclusive medical report is awaited.
Vikas Walkar had been vocal about seeking justice for his daughter, often urging authorities to ensure a swift and fair trial in the case. He had also criticised the legal delays and inefficiencies in handling crimes against women.
His health had reportedly deteriorated over the past year due to stress and emotional turmoil following his daughter’s tragic demise.
The 2022 Murder That Shook the Nation
Vikas Walkar’s daughter, Shraddha Walkar, was brutally murdered by her live-in partner, Aaftab Amin Poonawala, in May 2022. The case gained national attention due to its chilling details and the manner in which the crime was executed.
According to Delhi Police investigations, Aaftab allegedly strangled Shraddha in their rented flat in Delhi’s Mehrauli area. To dispose of the body, he chopped her remains into multiple pieces, stored them in a refrigerator, and gradually scattered them across various locations in the city over several weeks. The crime came to light months later when Shraddha’s father, Vikas Walkar, filed a missing person complaint.
Following an extensive investigation, the Delhi Police filed a 6,629-page chargesheet against Aaftab Poonawala on January 24, 2023. The case is currently under trial, with the accused facing charges of murder and destruction of evidence.
The tragic end of Vikas Walkar has added another sorrowful chapter to a case that has already left an indelible mark on the nation’s consciousness.
