Air India pilot found hanging, boyfriend held for harassment, abetment to suicide

Mumbai: A 25-year-old Air India pilot was found hanging in her rented apartment. Police said she used data cable to kill herself. An official said they have arrested her boyfriend on charges of abetment on Wednesday.

The pilot, identified as Srishti Tuli, resided in the Kanakia Rain Forest complex in Marol. She died in the early hours of Monday, according to authorities. Her boyfriend, Aditya Pandit, aged 27, was taken into custody on Tuesday following a complaint from one of Tuli’s relatives. The relative accused Pandit of harassing and abusing her, including forcing her to stop consuming non-vegetarian food, as per the FIR details.

An officer from Powai police station revealed that Tuli, originally from Uttar Pradesh, had moved to Mumbai in June last year for work. She and Pandit met two years ago during a commercial pilot training course in Delhi, and they eventually started a relationship. The incident came to light when Pandit, who was driving to Delhi at the time, received a distressing call from Tuli. She informed him of her intention to end her life. Pandit immediately returned to Mumbai and found her apartment door locked from the inside, the official stated. With a locksmith's help, he opened the door and discovered Tuli hanging from a data cable. She was rushed to Seven Hills Hospital, where she was declared dead by doctors. No suicide note was recovered from the scene, according to police.

Later, Tuli’s uncle filed a police complaint, alleging that Pandit frequently harassed her, humiliated her in public, and pressured her to change her dietary habits. The allegations led to Pandit’s arrest under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (abetment of suicide). Pandit was presented before a court, which ordered him to remain in police custody for four days, the official confirmed.