Bulandshahr sisters who testified against their dad for killing mom get financial aid

In a heartwarming development, the Villoo Poonawala Foundation has donated Rs 10 lakh each to Bulandshar sisters Latika and Tanya Bansal following a report in the Sunday TOI on August 21 about the duo’s sixyear-long battle to bring their father, Manoj, to justice.

The sisters were witness to the incident that took place at the Bansal home on June 14,2016 in UP’s Bulandshahr city. They gave testimony against their father Manoj, who had poured kerosene on their mother while their grandmotherlit the match. On July 27 this year, the Bulandshahr district court found the father guilty of the charge and gave him life imprisonment. Besidestestifying, the sisters braved intimidation and wrote letters in blood to the UP CM to draw attention to their case.

Moved by the plight of the girls, chairman and managing director of Serum Institute of India Cyrus Poonawala wanted to support them for their education. The Villoo Poonawala Foundation is a philanthropic organisation focused on health, education and environment. CEO Jaswinder Narang travelled to Bulandshahr on Tuesday to present the cheque. “The foundation is involved in philanthropic work with transgenders, schools and cancer patients. We have given them a cheque of Rs 10 lakh each so they can pursue their education,” he said.

Latika and Tanya Bansal were in disbelief. “I still can’t believe this. It feels like a dream,” Latika said.