Thaindian News

Gurgaon, Aug 22 (IANS) Various women’s organisations Thursday will hold a candlelight vigil at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for Geetika Sharma, former flight attendant who committed suicide Aug 5.

Geetika in her suicide notes had alleged harassment by former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and senior executive Aruna Chaddha of his now-defunct MDLR Airlines.

The women will march to seek fit punishment for the accused, a woman activist told IANS Wednesday.

“We want justice for Geetika Sharma. She was facing terrible harassment from Gopal Kanda, who has been making false statements ever since the case came to light. We want stiff punishment for Kanda,” said activist Sunita Kataria.

Kataria, municipal councillor and district head of Indian National Lok Dal, told IANS: “The candle march would be held by women’s organisations, not under any political party’s banner. Several NGOs will join the march at Jantar Mantar 11 a.m. Thursday.”

Kanda, who is in police custody for seven days for questioning, was Sunday taken to the office of the defunct MDLR Airlines, which he owned. He was also taken to his home at Civil Lines here by police officials. Police searched his farmhouse Monday.

Kanda was arrested Aug 18 after he surrendered at Delhi’s Ashok Vihar police station.

Kanda was on the run since Aug 8, after Geetika, 23, accused him and another official of MDLR Airlines, Aruna Chaddha, of harassing her and driving her to suicide.

Geetika committed suicide on the night of Aug 4-5 at her Ashok Vihar house.

Chaddha is in judicial custody.

Kanda was elected independent legislator from Haryana’s Sirsa district in Oct 2009 and given the important portfolio of minister of state for home, industries and local bodies.