Big B help goes in vain for two deserted sisters

The two abandoned sisters were helped by none other than Amitabh Bachchan, but their mother pocketed the Rs two lakh cheque donated by the superstar and vanished, leaving the two staring at an uncertain future.

Rimjhim (12) and Anjali (11), now only have the principal of their private school to look after them.

Giving a false residential address of Muzaffarpur, Shikha Pandey had admitted the two girls to Shanti Niketan School in the state capital in October, 2006, and did not return, said the school Principal Avineshwar Prasad Singh.

After the woes of the sisters were highlighted in the media, Amitabh Bachchan offered Rs two lakh to them and invited them to the foundation stone laying function of a girls school at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh in the name of her daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai on January 27, 2008.

After coming to know about Big B's gesture, the mother surfaced at the school three days before the scheduled function, Singh told PTI.

Being asked about her going underground, she had told the principal that her husband was in jail and she was facing a lot of financial hardship.

The woman accompanied the principal and the girls to the function at Barabanki. Bachchan took the sisters in his arms on the stage and handed over a cheque of Rs two lakh to their mother in her name for their better future, the principal said.

All returned happily to the school the next day and Shikha promised him to take daughters but she never returned, the principal said.

Now students of class III, the girls are being looked after by the principal who also has two sons.

"If I ever get an opportunity, I will definitely tell Amit jee about the sorry episode," he said.

Rimjhim, the elder among the two, is suffering from epilepsy and It is becoming difficult for the Principal to look after her health problem.

He said the girls hate to talk about their mother. Initially they used to cry the whole night but with time tears have dried up in their eyes, Singh said.