Mumbai: Man booked for suicide of his live-in partner

Ten days after a 31-year-old photographer Arpita Sansetwar hanged herself to death at her father's residence, Borivali police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against her live-in partner cum business associate, Nishank Sharma. The police, who had initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case, later took Arpita's father Kishorkumar's compaint and registered an FIR on Monday evening against Sharma.

According to the police, Arpita had separated from her husband in 2015 and was living at her father's home in Gorai since then. After the separation, she started her own business of event photography. Meanwhile, her divorce procedure was underway in a family court. Sharma, who was her business associate, brought her photography projects and the duo gradually grew close. They then started living together.

"As per the complainant, on June 15, Arpita hanged herself to death from a ceiling fan at his residence. Later, his younger revealed that Sharma was responsible for her sister's death. She said that all was not well between the couple for the past few days," said a police officer from Borivali police station.

After the revelation, when the family checked Arpita's mobile phone they saw a string of vulgar and mentally harassing messages sent by Nishank on day of the incident. In those messages, Nishank verbally abused Arpita, instigating her to end her life, but to not return to him begging for reconciliation. Soon after, she locked herself in the bedroom and hanged herself.

"We have booked Nishank Sharma under Section 306 of IPC. Sharma will be called in for questioning. Meanwhile, Kishorkumar has submitted the WhatsApp conversation between his daughter and Sharma," said Laxman Dumbre, senior police inspector of Borivali police station.