Pilot Video-Called Boyfriend Before Suicide, Police Recovering Deleted Chats

Air India Pilot Srishti Tuli video-called her boyfriend Aditya Pandit moments before her alleged death by suicide on Monday, according to the Mumbai Police sources. Srishti and Aditya reportedly had a fight, after which he left for Delhi. Srishti had reportedly asked Aditya to stay with her for a few more days but he refused. She allegedly threatened to die by suicide, and when Aditya still didn’t change his mind, Srishti video-called him, showing him that she was going to hang herself, the source said.

Aditya Pandit has allegedly deleted some of his chats with Srishti. Currently in police custody on charges of abetment of suicide, he reportedly told the police that he had warned Srishti that he, too, would die by suicide if she killed herself. The police are trying to recover the deleted messages. Aditya’s phone has been sent to forensic experts.

According to police sources, there were around 10-11 phone calls between the two before her death. Apart from this, there were many missed calls on Srishti’s phone.

Aditya claims that while on his way back to Srishti’s home, he dialled her repeatedly to stop her from any drastic step. He says when he found the house locked, he and another woman pilot called a locksmith and opened the door. The second pilot is also being questioned by the police.

25-year-old Srishti was found dead at her rented home in Mumbai’s Marol area on November 25. She allegedly hanged herself with a data cable but no suicide note was recovered.

The pilot spoke to her mother and aunt 15 minutes before the family got news of her death. The family has alleged that she was murdered. The family has accused Aditya Pandit of abusing, harassing and manipulating her.

The family also alleges that he took money from Srishti and stopped her from eating non-vegetarian food.

“Police are saying she died by suicide. Then what did he do that pushed her to the edge? She cheerfully spoke to her mother and aunt. And 15 minutes later, she was dead. How did this happen? What did he tell her? What did he do? Police are probing this,” Srishti’s uncle Vivek Tuli told NDTV.

Allegations Against Aditya

According to Srishti’s family, she faced regular harassment at the hands of her partner. For instance, last year in November, Aditya took Srishti and her cousin Rashi out shopping. He was driving Srishti’s uncle Vivek Tuli’s car. On the way, an argument broke out between the couple, during which Aditya used derogatory language against her and rammed another vehicle in a rage.

In March this year, at a dinner gathering in Gurugram, with Rashi and her friends, Aditya allegedly humiliated Srishti when she and others suggested they have non-vegetarian food. Aditya reportedly left her on the road and went home alone.

A bank statement reveals that around Diwali, Srishti transferred Rs. 65,000 to Aditya’s family, says her family.

The two met two years ago when Srishti was training to be a commercial pilot in Delhi, according to the FIR. Srishti’s family also alleges that Aditya was jealous of her as she cleared the course but he couldn’t.