In Pictures: Lufthansa airhostess Anissia Batra’s suicide – what we know so far

The victim Anissia Batra resided with her husband Mayank Singhvi in Panchsheel Park area. The couple got into a wedlock on February 23, 2016. Since the marriage was less than seven years the SDM will conduct the inquiry.

Mayank Singhvi was arrested on Tuesday and sent to 14-days judicial custody under Section 304 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), dealing with dowry-related deaths. He was interrogated for an hour before being arrested. Batra is the daughter of a retired Major General and worked as a flight attendant with Lufthansa. She allegedly committed suicide after jumping from the terrace of her residence in south Delhi's Hauz Khas, police said today.

Nillum Batra (67), Anissia's mother alleged that Singhvi had not informed them about his previous marriage and the divorce. "The couple had gone to Dubai for their honeymoon a week after their wedding. On day 2 of the honeymoon he thrashed her black and blue. She was constantly messaging me and I asked her to move into another room in order to save herself. The next day she went to her friend's house from where she flew back to India," said Nillum. The family members then asked Anissia to speak to Singhvi's parents Rajendra and Sushma Singhvi. During the conversation his parents accused Anissia of provoking her son which led to the thrashings. During the meeting Singhvi also said he would not consume alcohol which was only followed for a week. The family also alleged that Singhvi had political connection and might try to use them to hush up the matter.

The 39-year-old flight attendant Anissia’s father, a Retired Major General RS Batra in his complaint to the police on June 27, 2018, had stated that he was filing the report as a precautionary against any harm which may come to his daughter from a husband or her in-laws to her safety or well-being.  “He is a violent man. Ever since their marriage he has been using physical force and beating her up. We have been keeping the matter quiet to keep the marriage alive but now his violence is becoming more frequent and has come to a stage where the husband and in-laws asked her to vacate her husband’s house (N-116, Panchsheel park),” said Retired Major General RS Batra in his complaint to the police on June 27, 2018. 

The apprehensions of the father are quite evident in the letter in which he further requests for a secure telephone number in case of an emergency to protect her life.

“I also fear to her safety as her life could be in danger. Also they may physically harm my daughter and show it as an accident or suicide. Kindly note that any harm to her well being directly attributed to plans made by my son-in-law and his parents. I am asking for your help and advise,” stated the complaint. 

A friend of the Delhi air hostess, who had committed suicide earlier this week, has revealed that she received a text message from the victim, saying that her husband had ‘forced her to take this extreme step.’ Speaking to ANI, the friend who did not wish to be named said, “I had received a message from her where she talked of killing herself saying her husband has driven her to this stage. She was a very strong girl. I can't believe that she took up this step.” Before her death, Anissia had sent to her friend on WhatsApp in which she said, "He has locked me up, I need you to call the police, Plz come if you can, I’m locked up,"

Former Miss India and actor Niharika Singh shared her #MeToo story on Friday in which she accused the husband of a female flight attendant, who allegedly committed suicide in July, of being a "sociopath" and "physically violent" when they were briefly engaged in 2011.

In the post, Singh said she had met Singhvi at a friend's birthday party.

"He was an investment banker and had nothing to do with film, which to me, was like a breath of fresh air. Within two months of meeting me, Mayank tattooed my name on his chest and told me that he was in love with me.

"I didn't feel the same way about him but he managed to get into my social circle and develop a bond with my family and friends who insisted 'I settle down'. In 2011, on my 29th birthday, he gave me a ring and asked me to marry him," Singh said.

She said, she found out later, that Singhvi "was a sociopath, and I broke off my engagement at the end of 2011".

"His ego was completely bruised and his anger was uncontrollable. Using casteist slurs, he got abusive and physically violent. I went to a friend's house to protect myself and left Mumbai soon after with a broken spirit," she said.

She also wrote about Singhvi creating a "false narrative" about her which hurt her more than the abuse.

"Mayank created a false narrative about me after I left that many of my friends chose to believe, which hurt even more than the abuse. I moved to Dehradun where my father lived, did vipassana and spent time on my own to heal," she said.

Without mentioning Batra's name, Singh said Singhvi's wife had contacted her days before she allegedly committed suicide.

"In June this year, I received a call from a woman who introduced herself as Mayank Singhvi's wife; the same man I was briefly engaged to, in 2011. She wanted to know my reasons for calling off the engagement.

"I told her my story. She confided in me that she's been abused right from the first week of their marriage and was trying to get out. We stayed in touch forming a kind of sisterhood. A few days later she was found dead in her marital home under mysterious circumstances. Mayank Singhvi was taken into judicial custody," Singh said.