Mumbai, India: Mumbai police have arrested a Delhi-based man, Aditya Pandit (27), on charges of abetment to suicide following the death of his girlfriend, Srishti Tuli (25), an Air India pilot. Tuli was found unresponsive at her rented apartment in Marol, Andheri (East), on Monday.
According to the police, Tuli’s family, based in Gorakhpur, has raised serious allegations, suspecting foul play and claiming that Pandit may have killed her while trying to stage it as a suicide.
Tuli’s family told that she had endured ongoing harassment from Pandit. They alleged that he abused her in public, tried to control her behavior, and even stopped her from eating non-vegetarian food. “He used to withdraw money from her account and may have been blackmailing her,” said her uncle, Vivek kumar Tuli, who urged the police to investigate thoroughly.
Police investigations revealed that Tuli returned home from work on Sunday and had an argument with Pandit, who had been frequenting her apartment recently. At around 1 a.m., Pandit left for Delhi. Shortly after, Tuli reportedly called him and expressed her intent to take an extreme step.
Pandit returned to her residence, found the door locked from inside, and called a locksmith to enter. Upon gaining access, he found Tuli unresponsive and rushed her to Seven Hills Hospital, where she was declared dead.
Senior Inspector Jitendra Sonawane of Powai police confirmed Pandit's arrest under Section 108 (abetment to suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He was presented in court on Tuesday and remanded to four days in police custody.
“The post-mortem report indicates suicide as the cause of death. We are analyzing her phone for evidence and will record statements from her family, friends, and colleagues,” said Sonawane.
Tuli, originally from Gorakhpur, was the first woman pilot from her city and had been honored by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for her achievements. She joined Air India in June 2023 after completing her training in Delhi, where she met Pandit.
Her uncle stated that colleagues described Pandit as controlling and abusive. He reportedly damaged her car, abandoned her on roads, and yelled at her publicly. Recently, he stopped speaking to her for days after she missed his sister’s engagement due to work commitments.
CCTV footage showed Tuli returning home after work on Sunday and speaking to her mother without showing signs of distress. However, the family suspects Pandit’s involvement, alleging he may have given her a sedative.
Hundreds gathered in Gorakhpur to pay their respects to Tuli, who hailed from a proud Army family. Her grandfather, Narendra kumar Tuli, died in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, and her uncle also served in the Army. Her last rites were performed on Wednesday morning, leaving her family and community in deep shock.
The police have assured a thorough investigation into the case, including financial transactions and forensic analysis of her phone, as the family seeks justice for Tuli’s untimely death.