'Spoke to mother, aunt 15 minutes before death': Pilot's uncle
The family of 25-year-old Air India pilot Srishti Tuli, who was found dead at her rented home in Mumbai's Marol area, has accused her boyfriend Aditya Pandit of harassment and manipulation. Her uncle Vivek Tuli said she spoke cheerfully to her mother and aunt just 15 minutes before she was found dead. "Police are saying she died by suicide...What did he do that pushed her to the edge? What did he tell her? What did he do?" Tuli told NDTV.
Boyfriend arrested, claims suicide threat
Pandit has been arrested on charges of abetment to suicide. According to police reports, he claimed that Tuli called him threatening to end her life while he was driving to Faridabad. He returned to Mumbai and found the door of her flat locked. With the help of another woman pilot and a keymaker, he opened the door and found Tuli hanging with a data cable. She was declared dead at the hospital.
Family alleges harassment, manipulation by boyfriend
Tuli met Pandit during a commercial flying course in Delhi two years ago. While she finished the course and shifted to Mumbai last year after getting her pilot's license, Pandit dropped out and stayed in Faridabad. The family claims Pandit would publicly humiliate Tuli and extort money from her. They cited a transaction of ₹65,000 from Tuli's account to Pandit's family around Diwali as proof.
Family suspects foul play in pilot's death
The family also alleges Pandit pressured Tuli to stop eating non-vegetarian food and had arguments over personal matters. "They are saying she died by suicide, but I don't believe it. This is planned murder," said Vivek Tuli. He further alleged another woman pilot was involved in the incident as she helped open the flat's door without involving the police. The police have registered an FIR on the family's complaint and investigations are on.
