Skeleton found in Mumbai flat: 63-year-old killed herself, claim police

The Mumbai police recovered a suicide note in which Asha Sahani wrote ‘No one should be held responsible for my death’

The 63-year-old woman, whose skeletal remains were found at an Oshiwara high-rise on Sunday afternoon, committed suicide — possibly by consuming poison — police said on Monday. The woman also left behind some cash and a suicide note, they said.

The police also found an empty bottle and a spray can next to the skeletal remains. Officers have sent both the items for forensic analysis to ascertain their contents.

The Oshiwara police conducted a panchnama on Tuesday and recovered Rs50,000 in cash on the bed next to Asha Sahani. Below the bundle of cash, there was a suicide note on a brown sheet of paper. The note read “No one should be held responsible for my death.”

The police also found an empty bottle and a spray can. Officers have sent both the items for forensic analysis to ascertain their contents.

Two windows were open in the 1,500 sqft flat and pigeons had entered the apartment. The electricity board disconnected power supply to the flat three months after the bills remained unpaid,” said an officer from the Oshiwara police station.

A resident of the Bellscot Tower at Lokhandwala, Oshiwara, told HT he had mailed her son, Rituraj, who had also alerted the Mumbai police online around six months ago. Upon receiving the intimation, a team from Oshiwara police station visited the society and inquired with members and Sahani’s neighbours.

The police said Rituraj was unable to return to India because he was embroiled in divorce proceedings initiated by his Indian-origin wife staying in the US. Rituraj has custody of their 10-year-old son, said an officer.

The police said before April 2016, Sahani had visited US for a week and stayed with Rituraj. She had told him not to worry about her and that she can live in an old age home, Rituraj told police in his statement.