Bangalore: Fashion Designer Suicide Case: Other Side of Story
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, May 19: On Wednesday May 18, reports about a fashion designer's suicide were rife in the media, with all sorts of speculations emerging from the issue. Ruchi Shandilya was found hanging from the ceiling fan at her apartment in Ulsoor here, and since then different versions of the 'real story' have appeared.
According to reports, Ruchi Shandilya left behind three suicide notes, each addressed to her husband, in-laws and her father, in which she spoke about the mental trauma arising out of her marriage to Prashant Kumar, her childhood friend who she had married about three years ago.
Ruchi and Prashant both hail from Bihar, and their families had been close friends much before they got married. Prashant's family had been tenants at Ruchi's parents' house, and later both Ruchi and Prashant studied in Delhi and moved to Bangalore. By then they were deep into a relationship, and after getting approval from both families, they got married after six years of courtship.
However, what was expected to be a perfect marriage, given the closeness the two shared, soon turned out to be a nightmare, at least for Ruchi. Prashant began taking long tours abroad on work, and one fine day even asked her to divorce him. He is said to have admitted that he had never really loved her, and that separation would be the best option. But Ruchi was deeply in love with her husband, and refused to accept his offer. Her friends say she tried her best to save the marriage, but there was no co-operation from Prashant in any manner. Intervention from friends made matters worse, as Prashant is said to have accused Ruchi of spreading details about their marital life. Prashant's parents too washed their hands of the matter, and soon, Ruchi was all alone in her battle to save the marriage.
Meanwhile, according to sources, Prashant began prolonging his foreign tours and avoiding Ruchi all together. It is said that he stopped answering her calls or replying to her on online chat. Even when he was back in Bangalore, he used to stay at a friend's place, away from Ruchi.
Last month, when Ruchi went to Delhi for the fashion week, she confided in her friends that she was being ill-treated by her in-laws too. She then decided to take matters in her own hand and transferred all her money to Prashant's account, which made him call her up to know the reason for such a move. She then learnt that her husband was coming back from Singapore on May 15, and was happy about it. On the day of his arrival, she went to receive him at the airport, but mid way Prashant called her up to say that he was already home, much before his scheduled flight was to land. When Ruchi demanded an explanation, a fight ensued, and Prashant left the house, never to return. An anxious Ruchi enquired from all possible quarters as to where he was (Prashant had switched off his phone) but to no avail. Much later she came to know that he was at a friend's place.
The last fight was perhaps too much for Ruchi to handle, and the next day, on May 16, she was found hanging in her apartment when Prashant came to collect his laptop. In her suicide note, however, she has chosen not to implicate Prashant. Also, it was revealed that she had hid all her marital problems from her own parents and family as she believed that they would not be able to take it.
This is Ruchi's side of the story. Whether it is the truth or not, only time will tell. However, a young, promising life has been lost, and nothing can bring it back.