Mum student, 21, alleges bullying, ends life; three minors among 5 booked

MUMBAI: A 21-year-old diploma in pharmacy student allegedly died by suicide at her Nalasopara home on Friday and has named five building residents, including a 20-year-old male friend and three minor sisters aged 7, 10 and 17 in her note. All five, including the 19-year-old sister of the minor girls, have been booked for abetment to suicide. No arrests have been made yet.
Tulinj police inspector Shailendra Nagarkar said the suicide note, handwritten by victim Aditi Nangnure, has named the 20-year-old male friend and four sisters, all residing in the same building in Nalasopara (east). Nagarkar said prima facie it seems like a case of one-sided love by the victim. Police are baffled at the victim mentioning the minor 7- and 10-year-old sisters.
Police said the abetment case against the five was based on the fact that they were named in the suicide note in which their age was not mentioned. However, as a child below the age of 12 gets absolute immunity from criminal prosecution, trial and conviction considering that a child below such an age is incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong, the two minor sisters will be absolved of any crime, said police.
Police said Aditi last spoke to the male friend, a second year commerce student, over the cellphone on Friday evening. She told him about committing suicide and disconnected the phone. The male friend rushed to her flat with other building residents. They broke open the door and found Aditi hanging at around 6pm. She was rushed to hospital and declared dead before arrival.
A suicide note found named four sisters and the male friend. In her note, Aditi alleged being bullied and physically and mentally harassed by the five persons for over a year. Police said they have seized cellphones of Aditi and her male friend. Preliminary investigation revealed Aditi had a crush on him and he turned down her proposal and had reportedly told her about dating another girl.