When neurologist Amit Khaneja returned to Delhi after 20 years, following the murder of his elderly parents in East of Kailash last month, he had a trove of memories to collect and recollect. There were so many wishes that remained unfulfilled, plans that never materialised and regrets that will haunt him forever.
Dr. Khaneja, who is settled in New York, said he took a special permission from the Delhi police to visit the flat (number 349) where his parents — Virendra Khaneja and Sarla — stayed on the ninth floor of Mount Kailash apartment in south Delhi. It is the same house where the bodies of his parents were found on January 26, almost eight days after they were murdered.
As the 45-year-old rewound the clock while speaking to The Hindu, he said his father was a brave man who survived two Indo-Pak wars but was killed by a domestic help he trusted.
“My father was a war veteran and he had fought 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars. After 1971, he took premature retirement from the post of Army Captain and joined Procter & Gamble as a manager. He retired from the job in 2000 as a senior manager. I still remember he used to show us his pictures in uniform,” said Dr. Khaneja.
He clicked those pictures and many others to take back with him to the US.
“I visited the flat just to recollect the memories of my parents and younger brother. I clicked a few pictures to take them with me to New York. I used to talk regularly with my parents over the phone. My mother was very active on Facebook Messenger and talked to my daughter frequently,” said Dr. Khaneja.
Now divorced, Dr. Khaneja lives with his only daughter in the United States. While his busy schedule prevented him from coming to India all these years, his parents would often visit him there. Yet, not even once could the entire family [his younger brother Sumit, his wife and children] gather at one place ever.
In 2017, Sumit died after a prolonged illness and the dream of a family get-together remained unfulfilled. The remaining family members then decided to get together in New York this April. And yet again, a cruel twist of fate ruined their plan.
Dr. Khaneja said his parents had agreed to go to New York for the get together.
“My mother had lots of plans for the reunion. In every chat she used to discuss her plan for the visit. She was most excited about meeting Jay, the son of my younger brother. My nephew looks exactly like my brother, and for my mother this was an opportunity to see her son again,” said Dr. Khaneja.
Nephew in Canada
Jay is pursuing his studies in Canada. He was going to attend the family reunion, said Dr. Khaneja. He said he spoke to Jay almost everyday. “My parents last visited me in December 2018,” he added.
About his last communication with his parents, Dr. Khaneja said he spoke to them perhaps a day before they were killed.
“When my mother did not wish me on birthday on January 24 I got suspicious and asked my relative to check. She was not active on social media too and that’s what triggered my suspicion,” said Dr. Khaneja.
“I am thankful to Delhi police for their work and I hope the murderers will face maximal punishment,” he said.
Dr. Khaneja arrived in India on February 1 to perform the last rites of his parents and flew back to New York on Sunday night.