More than six years after former Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Anjali Gupta became the first woman to be court-martialled, she committed suicide at a family friend's residence in Bhopal. She was found hanging on Sunday.
According to police, Anjali was alone in the house of IAF Group Captain Amit Gupta when she allegedly took the extreme step. She had been working with a private company since her dismissal from the IAF.
The police said Anjali had arrived in Bhopal on September 7 from Bangalore, where she was employed. Group Captain Amit told the police that he had gone to Delhi for the engagement of his son on September 8. Though he asked Anjali to come along, the latter insisted on staying at his house.
"I told her to come with me to Delhi, but she said she had work in Bhopal. She showed no signs of any disturbance," Amit said.
When he returned home on Sunday morning and knocked at the door, there was no response. After several failed attempts, he informed the police. A police team broke open the door to find the 35-year-old former officer hanging from a ceiling fan.
The police team also found a 15 litre can and two bottles filled with petrol, at the spot where Anjali was found hanging. Amit pleaded ignorance about the fuel. Police now also suspect that she might have contemplated setting herself on fire before she decided upon hanging.
The former flying officer was dismissed by the IAF in December 2005.
A police officer investigating the matter said, "Amit Gupta is a group captain with the air force. There was some guest at his place who, he is claiming, was a family friend. Anjali Gupta, who once worked with him, died by hanging. It is a case of suicide. We are still investigating why she came to his place to commit suicide."