This description is excerpted from Change.org and is the words of Rajesh Ahuja. No edits have been made to his story.
https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-ananta-ahuja
On November 27, 2023, my family's life was changed forever when our 12-year-old daughter, Ananta Ahuja, was killed in a hit-and-run incident while walking her dog. When she was killed, Ananta was not running recklessly nor chasing her dog, Piku. Instead, she was doing what her parents always taught her to do: cross the street on a marked crosswalk after looking both ways. Despite a well-lit crosswalk in a clearly residential area, Iftekhar Hossain did not stop.
Conscious of having hit both a young girl and her dog, Ifthekar fled the scene without even calling for emergency help. This happened when Ananta was just seconds away from her own house, where her adoring mother, sister, and I were waiting for her to have an evening cup of tea.
This tragedy has devastated my family and our community of friends - our loss is impossible to even put in words. Having lost two of our children in a minute we suffer every day and are barely able to sustain our daily lives with this loss and the ensuing court case consuming all our thoughts and energy. Ananta was intelligent, kind, funny, and full of potential, and we have every intention of getting justice for our daughter. We are making an earnest plea to Honorable Judge Joseph A Hughes to consider our point of view while making his sentencing decision.
Iftekhar has been charged with his leaving the scene of the accident which resulted in death. This charge can result in up to 10 years in jail, but the prosecutor has decided to enter a plea bargain asking for only 3 years of probation and 6 months of suspended jail time.
Our request to the Judge is two-fold. First, to consider the loss of a young life who had all her future ahead of her. Ananta was adored not just within our family but by her friends, neighbors, and community. The chance for her to blossom and explore the world was taken away from her before she even turned 13.
Second, please be mindful of the impact this case has had on the community, parents, and kids across the board. How will we let our kids go about their normal activities, ride bikes, walk dogs, or just run around because that's what kids are supposed to do? How will we teach our kids that it's the responsibility of a car driver to stop when you are on the crosswalk? How will the kids believe that it's okay to be kids and not look at each car with suspicion?
We want justice and the plea bargain looks like its justice denied to Ananta and all of us. Please help us in impressing upon the judge to reconsider the plea bargain and make the decision with the all the right conscious.
The judgement is due on September 13th kindly request you to sign and share ahead.
https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-ananta-ahuja
31° and Mist
