Aaj Tak Journalist Allegedly Dies Of Suicide Amid Claims Of Mental Struggle And Harassment, Probe On

In a tragic turn of events, journalist Aakash Shukla from Aaj Tak passed away by suicide on Monday. According to reports, Shukla had been grappling with severe mental distress stemming from what he perceived as constant threats of legal action levied against him by his wife and her parents. This was revealed by Deepika Bhardwaj, a journalist and filmmaker, who took to the platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share this distressing news.

Bhardwaj recounted that on Sunday, she engaged in a conversation with Shukla, who had been working as an assistant editor at Aaj Tak since 2021. During their discussion, Shukla detailed the emotional turmoil he was enduring due to his wife and her parents. Bhardwaj alleged that his marriage had been conducted under duress and that he was persistently subjected to threats of legal repercussions. In her tweet, she mentioned her intention to help resolve the matter, but tragically, Shukla, a senior journalist, is said to have taken his own life.

In a separate tweet, Bhardwaj disclosed more about the circumstances leading up to Shukla's alleged suicide, including instances of physical assault. Shukla apparently confided in her that his wife had defamed him on social media, tarnishing his reputation. Bhardwaj further revealed that Shukla felt compelled to undergo a court marriage to salvage his career and that he was now facing pressure from his father-in-law to participate in a social event that required significant financial expenditure - something he couldn't afford.

"Akash shared that the woman he got married to had sullied his image by calling him names on social media. He couldn't afford to lose his career, so he compromised & went through with the court marriage. Now his father-in-law was pressuring him to participate in a social function, involving significant expenses that he did not have," Bhardwaj wrote. She went on to explain that Shukla was profoundly stressed and concerned for his parents, believing he was responsible for bringing these troubles upon them. He also disclosed incidents of physical altercations during their conflicts. Bhardwaj expressed her bewilderment and sorrow at the situation, saying, "I am unable to comprehend this."

According to police, a 31-year-old employee of a national news channel allegedly hanged himself at his house in east Delhi's Pandav Nagar. No suicide note was recovered from the spot.

A police team rushed to the house after a PCR call regarding the incident was received around 10.40 am, a senior police officer said. The room where the victim was present was found bolted from inside, following which a fire brigade was called to break the door.

On opening the room, the body of Akash Shukla was found hanging from the ceiling fan, the officer said. Based on his wife's statement and spot inspection, no foul play has been noticed so far, the police said, adding that further probe is on.