'Pressure' on Tunisha to convert to Islam, claims mom Vanita Sharma

Vanita Sharma's contentions came a day after Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale visited the bereaved family, and assured to seek a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for them from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis

In a sensational claim, Vanita Sharma - the mother of the late actress Tunisha - said for the first time that there was 'pressure' on her daughter to convert to Islam, here on Friday.

Speaking to the media, she said that Tunisha was constantly harassed in different ways by her ex-boyfriend Sheezan Khan - currently in custody - and his family, she was forced to do many things against her wishes and pressures were allegedly built on her to embrace Islam.

Vanita Sharma's contentions came a day after Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale visited the bereaved family, and assured to seek a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for them from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Tunisha, 20, died by suicide on December 24 on the sets of a teleserial being shot at a location in Vasai, and a day later, her co-star Sheezan was arrested after her mother accused him of cheating, two-timing, betrayal, 'using' her for 3-4 months and other things in a video-statement.

'According to the police, Tunisha had lunch with Khan at the studio and later locked herself in the make-up room. The crew members knocked on the door of the make-up room but she didn’t open the door. Crew members then broke open the door and found her hanging from the ceiling.

Also Read: Tunisha Sharma death: Forensic team visits TV show set, seize actor's clothes, other belongings

Doctor Honey Mittal of F&B hospital at Vasai said, “On Saturday around 4.10 pm, about 3-4 people arrived at the hospital with Tunisha Sharma. Her co-actor Sheezan Khan was also with them  and he told me to save her anyhow. He was crying continuously. But her body was cold and when we checked her eyes there was no movement. We also did a confirmatory test and an ECG but we found a flat line and declared her dead. We also found a strangulation mark on her neck during the physical examination. Someone strangulated her or she hanged herself. We informed the cops about the body.”

(With inputs from IANS)

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