Muslim actor arrested after Indian TV actress commits suicide

BJP terms it a case of ‘love jihad’, vows to bring strict law against it

Published: 10:33 AM, 26 Dec, 2022
Trending, Entertainment
Muslim actor arrested after Indian TV actress commits suicide
Caption: File photo.

Sheezan Mohammed Khan, co-star of Indian actress Tunisha Sharma -- a television actress who on Saturday allegedly died by suicide on the set of a TV show in Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district -- was arrested after a case of abetment to suicide was registered against him, Indian police said.

The 20-year-old actress reportedly committed suicide by hanging herself in the makeup room of her former boyfriend and co-actor Sheezan Khan on December 24. 

Sheezan Khan was sent into four-day police custody by Vasai court in Mumbai. Parth Zutshi, another co-actor, was called by the police on Sunday for questioning on the incident.

The First Information Report, or FIR, of the case revealed that the two actors were in a relationship, and had broken up 15 days ago. Tunisha Sharma was reportedly under stress, and it is being suspected that's what drove her to the edge.

Speaking to media outside the police station, Mr Zutshi, who claims he wasn't present on sets at the time of the incident, said, "I was called for questioning by police and was asked general questions. I can't comment on her relations, I don't have any idea, it was her internal matter."

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Her autopsy was conducted at Mumbai's JJ Hospital early on Sunday, police said, adding that there were no injury marks on her body. Initial probe suggested she died due to asphyxiation.

So far, police have recorded statements of 14 people in the case. They all are related to the show Ali Baba: Dastaan-e-Kabul.

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The 20-year-old actress was found hanging in the washroom after a tea break while shooting; Waliv police said they had to break open the door after she did not come out for a long time. The shooting crew took her to a hospital at around 1:30 am, where she was declared dead.

Tunisha Sharma's colleagues claimed she had died by suicide, but the police conducted an investigation on the spot and said no suicide note was recovered. They said they will investigate her death from both murder and suicide angles.

Sheezan Khan, who was arrested after the actress's mother filed a complaint against him, played the main role in the show 'Ali Baba: Dastaan-e-Kabul', at the sets of which she was found hanging. 

Tunisha Sharma's mother in the complaint claimed that Tunisha and Sheezan were in a relationship and blamed the latter for her daughter's extreme step. 

Tunisha Sharma started her acting career as a child actor in the Sony TV show 'Bharat Ka Veer Putra - Maharana Pratap', where she played the role of Chand Kanwar. Since then, she has featured in several shows and Hindi movies, most prominently playing childhood roles of popular actor Katrina Kaif's characters. She has worked in shows like 'Ishq Subhan Allah', 'Gabbar Poonchwala', 'Sher-e-Punjab: Maharaja Ranjit Singh', and 'Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat'.

The actress also appeared in Bollywood movies including 'Fitoor', 'Baar Baar Dekho', 'Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh', and 'Dabangg 3'.

Maharashtra state minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan claimed that the death Tunisha Sharma was a matter of “love jihad” and the police are probing the case. Mahajan further stated that the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government is mulling bringing strict law against “love jihad”.

"It is a matter of 'love jihad' and police are investigating the case. We are seeing that such cases are increasing day by day and we are mulling bringing a strict law against it," Mahajan told ANI.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Chandrakant Jadhav, however, said that there is no angle of any other affair, blackmailing or 'Love Jihad', as of now. "The investigation is underway. Accused Sheezan's and the deceased's phones have been seized. There is no angle of any other affair, blackmailing or 'Love Jihad', as of now," he said.

‘Love jihad’ is a term largely used by right-wing Hindu groups to describe marital relationships between Muslim men and Hindu women, though the courts and the government do not officially recognise the term.

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