The ministry of external affairs said both the Indian and Canadian governments are in touch, and it was essential to respect territorial integrity and sovereignty to maintain stable bilateral ties
The 25-year-old Air India pilot, who was found dead at her Mumbai home, spoke to her mother and her aunt 15 minutes before the family got the crushing news that she had died. Ruling out that Srishti Tuli died by suicide, the family has alleged she was murdered and accused her boyfriend Aditya Pandit of harassing and manipulating her.
“Police are saying she died by suicide. Then what did he do that pushed her to the edge? She cheerfully spoke to her mother and aunt. And 15 minutes later, she was dead. How did this happen? What did he tell her? What did he do? Police are probing this,” Srishti’s uncle Vivek Tuli told NDTV. Mr Tuli has filed a complaint with Mumbai Police and an FIR has been registered. Aditya has been arrested under charges of abetment to suicide.
According to police, 27-year-old Aditya has said during questioning that he left for Faridabad in his car Monday when Srishti called him and threatened to die by suicide. He rushed back and found the flat’s door locked. He and another woman pilot called in a keymaker who opened the door. Srishti was found with a data cable around her neck. She was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead. No suicide note has been found at her rented home.
The young pilot met Aditya during a commercial flying course in Delhi two years back. While she completed the course, Aditya dropped out. Srishti moved to Mumbai last year after getting her pilot’s licence. Aditya lived in Faridabad near Delhi and would visit her frequently.
The pilot’s family, based in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, has alleged that Aditya would harass her mentally, shouting at her in public places and also pressuring her to stop eating non-vegetarian food.
Her uncle Vivek Tuli said, “They are saying she died by suicide, but I don’t believe it. This is planned murder. She was strong, otherwise she would not be a pilot. We have come to know about her friend (Aditya), who started training with her but could not complete the course. He was jealous of her and would harass her.”
Mr Tuli alleged that Aditya also extorted money from Srishti. “We have managed to check only one month’s bank statement so far. Around Diwali, about Rs 65,000 was transferred to his family members. I am convinced that he was blackmailing her. I have now asked the bank for the whole year’s statement. Maybe, she had refused him money and that became the cause of her death.”
Mr Tuli said Srishti had not told her family about any harassment she was facing. “She had narrated bits and pieces to her sister. But when I met her friends, they told me the extent to which he harassed her. He would scream at her publicly. There were times when he made her get out of the car in the middle of the road and drove away,” he said.
He alleged that another woman pilot was involved in Srishti’s death. “We came to know that another woman was there. She called in the keymaker, got him to open the door and took Srishti to the hospital. Who opens the door and enters someone’s flat without calling the cops? And these are trained pilots. And why would a key maker randomly open a door from outside?”
Salman Rehman Khan, a terrorist belonging to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was extradited by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Rwanda today. Salman was implicated in the Bengaluru Prisons Terror Conspiracy case, where investigations revealed his involvement in radicalisation and the supply of explosives to terror operatives.
With the collaboration of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Interpol, and National Central Bureaus (NCBs), Salman was arrested in Rwanda’s capital Kigali yesterday. He was transferred to India early Thursday, where he was formally taken into custody by the NIA.
This marks the 17th instance since 2020 where the NIA has successfully facilitated the extradition or deportation of terror-related fugitives.
Salman was lodged in Bengaluru Central Prison, where he was serving a sentence for a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) conviction between 2018 and 2022. It was during this incarceration that Salman came into contact with T Naseer, a convicted terrorist serving a life sentence. Investigations revealed that Naseer played a role in radicalising Salman and orchestrating a terror module within the prison walls.
The NIA’s probe exposed how Salman, upon being radicalised, became an active participant in terror activities. He assisted in the procurement and distribution of arms, ammunition, and explosives for terror operatives. Naseer also masterminded plots to facilitate his own escape during court appearances, a plan in which Salman was a player.
When the terror conspiracy was uncovered, Salman fled India, evading authorities until his arrest in Rwanda.
How Salman Was Arrested
The NIA had registered the Bengaluru Prisons Terror Conspiracy case on October 25 last year, taking over from Bengaluru City Police. Salman, already declared a fugitive, was charged under the stringent UAPA, the Arms Act, and the Explosive Substances Act.
A Red Notice was issued by Interpol at the request of the NIA on August 2 this year. Authorities in Rwanda, acting on the notice, arrested Salman and notified Indian agencies. This led to a series of coordinated efforts between the NIA, the Rwandan National Central Bureau (NCB), and Interpol, ultimately resulting in Salman’s extradition.
In 2024 alone, 26 fugitives were returned to India through coordinated efforts involving Interpol. These include individuals accused of crimes ranging from terror to sexual offences, such as Raihan Arabikkalalarikkal, wanted for crimes against minors, who was extradited from Saudi Arabia.