Much before TV news channels flashed breaking news of Sunanda Pushkar’s death under mysterious circumstances in a plush hotel room in New Delhi complete darkness had surrounded her paternal house in Jammu.
Eerie silence prevailed in the entire neighbourhood outside Pushkar Niwas in Channi Himmat Housing colony. Sunanda’s father lt Col (Retd) PN Dass was not present in his house. He is presently staying with his elder son in Patiala.
Only Harbans lal, the domestic servant working with the family for past five years was found weeping inconsolably in the house. In a state of utter shock he told mediapersons converged outside the Pushkar residence, “Soon after learning about the sad news I tried to contact Uncleji in Patiala but his phone was switched off”.
Harbans lal said, “Though I had not interacted much with Sunanda Pushkar but every time she visited Jammu she stayed at her father’s house and came across as a very strong lady.” Woh bahut achi thi, mujhe yakin nahin ho raha woh is tarah se khatam ho gayee hain”. (She was very good human being. I cannot imagine that she is dead now. He said she had last visited after her marriage with Shashi Tharoor and stayed here for a day before returning.