State Gazette

The facts about his kinship came out later, though. For, when Manish’s father, Mahendra Mishra, first approached the railway authorities in Mathura and Kosi for justice, he wasn’t given a decent hearing. Until Vajpayee himself intervened. Suddenly, a creaking, rotten system sprang to life. Union agriculture minister Rajnath Singh dashed to Lucknow and CM Mulayam Singh Yadav met Vajpayee and owned "moral responsibility" for the incident. On Mulayam’s instructions, dgp (railways) B.K. Bhalla has begun investigations in right earnest.

While computer sketches of the accused have been generated, six police teams are simultaneously carrying out investigations. Manish’s death has put the plight of millions of rail passengers in sharp focus. Says railways spokesman Y.M. Siddiqui: "We’re going to take urgent steps to stop the repetition of such crimes." Not a day too soon.

By Yogesh Mishra