Varsha Bhosle: Cops still clueless about reason of suicide

Mumbai: Mumbai Police investigating the suicide of legendary singer Asha Bhosle's daughter Varsha Bhosle have not found anything that might ascertain the cause of the suicide. No suicide note has been found yet. However, initial investigation points to depression as the main cause of her suicide. Her body was sent for post-mortem on Monday. Varsha Bhosle, daughter of well-known playback singer Asha Bhosle, committed suicide at their Peddar Road residence here on Monday, police said. She was 56.

According to police, Varsha shot herself in the head twice with a pistol of Belgian make at her residence in 'Prabhu Kunj' apartments on posh Peddar Road in South Mumbai at around 12:30 pm on Monday. Officials said she shot herself with a licensed weapon. However, they said facts will have to be verified. Varsha lived in Prabhu Kunj building with her mother in the Peddar Road locality in south Mumbai. A flat in the building is also occupied by Asha's elder sister and singing legend Lata Mangeshkar.

Police said Varsha's maid servant Deepali Mane knocked on the door of Bhosle's house around 10 am but no one answered. Worried, she contacted Asha Bhosle's driver who told her that Varsha might be sleeping. After some time the maid went to the flat again but nobody opened the door. The driver then entered the flat through Asha's elder sister Lata Mangeshkar's adjacent flat and found Varsha lying in a pool of blood on a sofa. Police were called in and Varsha was taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead, the officer said. Asha Bhosle had recently shifted to a new house in Central Mumbai.

However, initial investigation points to depression as the main cause of her suicide.

Varsha, who used to work as a freelance journalist, was divorced from sports journalist Hemant Kenkre. She wrote columns for the web portal Rediff.com, The Sunday Observer and the Gentleman magazine, among other freelancing projects. She has also been a playback singer for some Hindi and Marathi movies and performed in a few concerts alongside her mother.

Varsha was depressed for many years and had also tried to commit suicide in 2008 and 2010 by consuming heavy doses of sleeping pills. She had married a sports writer and public relations professional but the couple divorced in 1998, sources close to the family said. Police had also learnt that Varsha wanted to start an orphanage with famous fashion photographer Gautam Rajadakshya, who passed away last year. Varsha, who was said to be very close to Rajadhyaksha, was distraught after his death and was under medication for depression.

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