Indian actor dies by suicide after ‘harassment’ by men posing as officials

The two suspects allegedly attempted to extort about Rs 20 lakh (£20,000) from the victim

Namita Singh
Monday 27 December 2021 07:53 EST
Comments
Police arrested the two men on Saturday, and are trying to trace one of the actor’s friends
Police arrested the two men on Saturday, and are trying to trace one of the actor’s friends (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A 28-year-old actor in India has died by suicide after she was allegedly harassed by two men posing as officers of the Narcotics Control Bureau.

The incident took place in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, on 20 December, when the two accused “apprehended” the actor and her friends during a party, reported The Indian Express.

The suspects allegedly first attempted to extort Rs 4 m (£39,800) from the actor, who has worked in regional language films in India, before settling on half the amount.

Upset from the consequences, the actor reportedly slipped into depression and was tense about arranging such a huge amount. She died by suicide in her rented apartment in Jogeshwari (West) on 23 December.

“The deceased and her friends got scared and requested them to settle the issue,” an officer told the newspaper. “The accused demanded Rs 40 lakh [Rs 4m] and finally settled at Rs 20 lakh [Rs 2m].”

The police arrested the two accused on Saturday, and are also trying to trace one of the actor’s friends, who was allegedly involved in the extortion racket.

The police have registered a case on charges related to abetment to suicide, impersonating public servants, cheating, extortion, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy, deputy commissioner of police Manjunath  Singhe told India Today.

“More arrests are possible and further investigations are on,” he said.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in