Dismissed IAF officer Anjali Gupta hangs herself

More than six years after former Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Anjali Gupta became the first woman to be court-martialled, she committed suicide at a family friend's residence in Bhopal. She was found hanging on Sunday, India Today reported
 

According to police, Anjali was alone in the house of IAF Group Captain Amit Gupta when she allegedly took the extreme step. She had been working with a private company since her dismissal from the IAF.

The police said Anjali had arrived in Bhopal on September 7 from Bangalore, where she was employed. Group Captain Amit told the police that he had gone to Delhi for the engagement of his son on September 8. Though he asked Anjali to come along, the latter insisted on staying at his house.

In 2008, Anjali had claimed that her Commanding Officer, the Second-in-Command and the adjutant, had been sexually harassing her. When protested, she was threatened to be sent away on temporary duty and later was put under house arrest. Her mother and brother were allegedly thrown out of the Kalka military station.

Acting on a complaint by Anjali, the General Court Martial (GCM) assembled at Udhampur (J&K) in August 2010, directed to forfeit six-year service of the accused Colonel for the purpose of promotion and also sentenced severe reprimand.

According to the complaint, Col Anurodh Mishra of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (EME) battalion allegedly called Anjali at his residence on the pretext of office-related instructions and misbehaved with her.

The police team also found a 15 litre can and two bottles filled with petrol, at the spot where Anjali was found hanging. Amit pleaded ignorance about the fuel. Police now also suspect that she might have contemplated setting herself on fire before she decided upon hanging.

The former flying officer was dismissed by the IAF in December 2005.