Family alleges friend pushed girl off third floor of Rajouri Garden mall

Shubhangni’s family alleged that Gupta pushed her and murdered her. But the police said that the CCTV footage accessed by them does not show Gupta accompanying Shubhangni to the third floor from where she jumped.

“It was supposed to be our last meeting after break-up. I didn’t know she will commit suicide,” said Manish Gupta, a friend of Shubhangni, 21, who jumped off the third floor of City Square Mall in west Delhi’s Rajouri Garden on Tuesday.

The mall in Rajouri Garden where 21-year-old Shubhangni committed suicide by jumping off the third floor. (HT Photo)

Gupta said he went numb after Shubhangni, who had been threatening to take her life, actually jumped off the building. He rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she died.

Gupta told HT that he met Shubhangni eight months ago on Facebook. For six months they chatted on Facebook and decided to meet two months ago. “We started our relationship through Facebook. For six months, we did not meet each other. After meeting things were not favourable for me. She was in contact with other men who used to message and call her at odd hours. I could not take it after a while and told her that we should part ways,” Gupta said.

Gupta, who works at a call centre, claimed that Shubhangni had called him to return his gifts. Both spoke to each other for two hours at the mall.

Gupta told the police that Shubhangni’s parents knew about their relationship and were not happy.

The police have initiated inquest proceeding into the matter. Deputy commissioner of police (west) Vijay Kumar said, “We have not registered any case. We are questioning the parents as well her friend. Investigations are in progress.”

However, Shubhangni’s family alleged that Gupta pushed her and murdered her. But the police said that the CCTV footage accessed by them does not show Gupta accompanying Shubhangni to the third floor from where she jumped.

Also, a purported suicide note that was recovered from a dustbin inside the mall mentioned that Shubhangni was not happy with her parents. In the suicide note, she expressed resentment towards her parents for not respecting her.

“My daughter was pursuing graduation. We never had any conflict with her. She had been tortured by Gupta because of which she committed suicide. I don’t believe the suicide note. She didn’t write the note,” said Shubhangni’s father Anil Kumar, a municipal sanitation worker.

Police said the girl has not held anyone responsible for her suicide in the note. However, she has mentioned that she was fed up with her life, problems and diseases.

“She took a packet of biscuit and left home. When she left she was happy, I didn’t see any problem. This cannot be a suicide and Gupta who was with him at mall is responsible for it,” said Shubhangni’s mother Mamta.

Shubhangni worked as a telecaller at a private company and lived with her two siblings and parents at Harijan Colony in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar.