Mumbai: A Mumbai-based sad news was reported on QS Digest, where a 25-year-old Air India pilot, Srishti Tuli, committed suicide on the night of November 25. It was alleged that before taking her life, she called her boyfriend, Aditya Pandit, and he was going to commit suicide. I won’t trouble you anymore.” With only a word of goodbye, Srishti hangs up the phone, and Aditya is left stunned and stunned.
Anchored to the apathy he saw in her eyes, Aditya panicked and went straight to Srishti’s flat in Powai, where he found the door shut. Worried about the worst, he called a locksmith and was able to get inside. What was behind these closed doors broke him—Srishti was found hanging from the ceiling fan using a data cable before she killed herself. Cringed with fear, Aditya contacted the police, and, after that, the police took Srishti’s body for autopsy.
When the probes started, Srishti’s mourning family accused Aditya of causing them to push their daughter to the edge. As per them, Aditya has been physically abusing Srishti for the last two years. They have been in a relationship. The family said she had been experiencing some depression due to the manipulative and toxic attitude of her boyfriend.
With reference to the family’s allegations, the Mumbai Police filed a complaint against Aditya under Section 108 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC and arrested him on November 26. Aditya also appeared in a court that sent him to police custody till November 29.
The police involved in investigating the case said that they did not find any suicide notes inside the apartment. However, some things that were not very clear when the couple was together have been revealed. The authorities have stated that Aditya forced his lifestyle and preferences down Srishti’s throat, including how and what she should eat, how she should live, and how she should behave. According to the reports, when Srishti failed in her demand, Aditya used to scold her and fight with her over minor issues that built her immense mental pressure.
Talking with someone experienced with the sting investigation, I came across such cases that shed a sad picture of physical violence towards the couple. The parties were said to have had a quarrel while shopping, after which Aditya left Srishti at the roadside by driving away while foaming at the mouth. Srishti was only able to return home after she called a friend who helped her get there. However, because of such behavior, Srishti forgave Aditya and decided to stay in a relationship with him.
Another incident was a restaurant where Srishti and Aditya went to eat out at a restaurant that was. Though the vegetarian Srishti dared to order non-vegetarian food, Aditya started humiliating her in front of everybody after she had ordered. Despite the bruises, swelling, and scratches, Srishti decided to stay silent to see if Aditya would change soon.
Apparently, in this turbulent relationship, the last nail in the coffin was driven at a wedding ceremony of his sister’s. Srishti was no show, but she accused Aditya of forcing her to come along. When she declined his offer, Aditya unfriended her on WhatsApp for about 350 minutes. To ensure Aditya received her message, Srishti attempted to make up for a few days, but he never replied again.
After 13 days of no communication, Srishti called Aditya, telling him that she wanted to end her life. Even though Adiya’s lips curled into a rather ominous statement, there was no way that he could interject at this point.
The investigation has shown that there was an unhealthy relationship between Srishti and Aditya on one hand—Srishti loved Aditya deeply, but her family said that she was ‘possessive’ about the relationship and that she dismissed all warnings from friends and family. Aditya rather seemed to explain the romantic relationship as a form of manipulation where one person exercises power over the other.
A police officer who was involved in the case investigation said, “We are still looking at the conditions under which this case occurred.” Srishti loved him, and it looks like she accepted many things that led to her reaching her boiling point. Such claims are still being investigated, and other details will be revealed.”
This sad incident has once again brought out the issue of domestic violence in as much as it focused on relationships and young people. Psychologists are stressing the dangers of sticking to toxic or controlling partners, and they encourage people to seek help if their partners exhibit certain behaviors.
Srishti’s family is now grieving for the loss of a daughter whom they said was a ‘bright and talented pilot.’ On the other hand, Aditya still has not given his side of the story on the accusations thrown at him.