Depressed, young film editor commits suicide in Mumbai

Under pressure to withdraw rape charges against her ex-boyfriend who called off their wedding, a 22-year-old film editor hailing from Delhi allegedly committed suicide at her rented residence at Mumbai's Jogeshwari suburb, police said today.

According to Oshiwara police, the incident took place last night in Adarsh Nagar chawl.

The deceased, Pallavi Jha, was found hanging from the ceiling.

The police didn't find any suicide note during panchnama.

The body was sent to Cooper Hospital for an autopsy, after which a case was registered on Monday afternoon.

Her former boyfriend, against whom she had filed a rape case in Delhi last year, has been booked for abetting her suicide, police said.

During investigation, the police found that Jha had come to Mumbai two years ago to pursue a career in film industry. She had been working as a film editor and had shared her room with another film editor who is also a Delhiite.

"Jha, who was also an aspiring model, was in a relationship with one Shailendra Sharma from Delhi for about five years in the past. She was set to marry Sharma but he called off the wedding as her family could not meet his dowry demand. Sharma demanded Rs 35 lakh in cash as dowry," said senior police inspector Naseer Pathan.

"Jha had then filed a rape case against Sharma at a police station in Delhi last year alleging that he had maintained a sexual relationship with her on the pretext of marrying her. Later, Sharma started threatening her to withdraw the rape charges against him, which had depressed her a lot," the officer said.

Sharma has been booked for abetting her suicide after the victim's mother Vandana's complaint.

The accused would be arrested from Delhi soon, Pathan added.