The mysterious circumstances around the death of Kerala-based model and actor Sahana BK, who was found dead on Friday, 13 May, in Kozhikode, have raised suspicions as to whether this was a case of suicide.
"Sahana was only 21 and was waiting for her first movie to be released towards the end of June. The director had heaped praises on her. This was going to be a big break for her and a stepping stone to a bright future. Why would she want to end her life?" asked Sahana's brother Bilal.
While the initial findings based on prima facie evidence of the forensic report indicated suicide, family of the model has vehemently rejected the claim, alleging foul play and murder by her husband Sajjad Rasheed (31).
Sajjad is in police custody.
According to Sajjad, Sahana's body was found hanging from a window grille at their rented flat in Parambil Bazar around midnight.
A native of Cheruvathur in Kasaragod, Sahana has acted in several jewellery advertisements, including those of brands like Kerala Gold and Diamonds and Ali's Gold Palace before her first film Lockdown, which is to be released in June.
'Always Spoke up Against Suicide'
The last time Bilal spoke to his sister was on 11 May, a day before her birthday.
"She was so happy on the phone. She was excited about the release of her film. She said that we should go to Bengaluru together as a family to attend the screening of her movie. She told me that she wanted to see us all on her birthday. There is no way a person who is filled with joy will want to end her life in a day," he tells The Quint.
At 1 am on 13 May, he received a call that Sahana had been found dead.
Sahana’s mother and two brothers told the police that she would never kill herself and alleged foul play in her death.
"The husband may be a suspect and this may be projected as a suicide. But we know the truth which is that this is a murder. Investigation will expose the truth."Bilal, Sahana's Brother
Her family told The Quint that in the past, Sahana has spoken up against suicide.
"She has openly spoken against suicide. She always said that even if life is terrible and you feel distraught, you can still do so many jobs and build a life for yourself. She would always tell that such decisions would gravely affect the parents who love you. At the age of 20, she was always keen to be independent and work hard. So, there is no reason for her to end her life," he says.
On Sunday, 15 May, Sudersan, assistant commissioner of police, Kozhikode, said further investigations are underway to ascertain the reason behind the suicide.
Husband’s Mother Says Son Must Be Punished if He Was Involved
Sahana and Sajjad entered wedlock a year and six months back. Sajjad was previously employed in Qatar, and then moved to Kerala. He would reportedly accompany her to all her shoots and managed her finances and schedules.
Sahana’s mother told the media that Sajjad would not let Sahana see her family or invite them to the house.
"My daughter would never die by suicide, she was murdered. She used to cry all the time saying they were torturing her. He used to get drunk and create trouble. The 25 sovereigns of gold that we gave had been used," she told Mathrubhumi.
A few weeks after their marriage, Sahana had told her parents that she was being harassed by her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law.
"His parents and sister were also torturing her, then I suggested that they move to a separate house. Even after that my daughter told me that he was behaving badly with her and demanded money," her mother said.
However, Sajjad's mother has dismissed these allegations saying, "if he has committed the crime, he should be punished. But if you ask if I had a role in it, I had absolutely no contact with them."
Sahana Wanted to File a Police Complaint Against Husband
Sajjad had reportedly confessed to police that they used to have fights over money. The Quint spoke to friends and family who said that he had slapped her during heated arguments. According to the police, Sahana’s body had some bruises along with major strangulation marks on the neck.
Bilal told The Quint that a few months back Sahana had decided to lodge an official complaint against Sajjad.
"Sahana spoke to me and I directed her to the nearest police station. She was walking towards the station when her husband and his friends convinced her to drop the plan and return home," he said.
Sahana's family had reportedly asked her to stay at their home and resolve issues before moving back in.
"He would come to film sets and we've been told that he was heard screaming at her. She tolerated all that he did to her. But she always said that her job was stable and she was earning well. She was happy with being independent and that is all mattered to her," he said.
The police told media that Sajjad was allegedly involved in drug peddling.
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