Tunisha Sharma funeral: Accused Sheezan's mother, sisters attend last rites

Actor Tunisha Sharma's death sent shockwaves through the Hindi entertainment industry. While a probe into the alleged death by suicide case is underway, the 20-year-old was cremated on Tuesday. Many industry colleagues of Sharma attended the last rites to pay their respects. Reportedly, Sharma's Ali Baba: Dastaan-E-Kabul co-star and accused Sheezan Khan's mother and sisters also attended her funeral. (Trigger warning: Mention of suicide)

Sharma's last rites ceremony began at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, and she was cremated at Goddev Shamshan Bhumi, Bhayandar East, Mumbai. Khan's mother and sisters—Shafaq and Falaq Naaz—attended the funeral and were videographed but they avoided talking to anyone. A going viral on social media showed Shafaq walking to the crematorium with her mother, while another showed Falaq—who was reportedly close to Sharma—crying inconsolably.

Besides her family members, among the TV personalities who paid their last respects to Sharma were her close friends Kanwar Dhillon and Shivin Narang. Others like Vishal Jethwa, Siddharth Nigam, Avneet Kaur, Ashnoor Kaur, and Deepika Singh were also reportedly in attendance. Sharma's mother was inconsolable and had fainted during her daughter's last rites, according to reports.

Tunisha Sharma was reportedly in Khan's makeup room on Ali Baba sets before she took the extreme step on Saturday. When Khan returned after his shot, he found that the room was locked. Since Sharma didn't respond even after repeated calls, the door was broken open. Upon finding her hanging, she was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced brought dead.

Reportedly, Sheezan Khan and Sharma were in a relationship but broke up a fortnight ago, which allegedly drove her into depression. Following her death, Khan was arrested on Saturday, and a case of abetment to suicide under IPC Section 306 was filed after Sharma's mother filed a complaint. He was presented in a Vasai court on Sunday and sent to a four-day police custody.

To recall, Khan's family issued a statement earlier to give them privacy during this time of grief. Their note read, "To everyone who's been trying to reach out to us for a statement on the case—please allow our family privacy in this grave situation." In her complaint, Sharma's mother also accused Khan of "using" her daughter, following which Khan was arrested.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, you can reach out to AASRA for suicide prevention counseling. Its number is 022-27546669 (24 hours). You can also contact the Hyderabad-based Roshni NGO at +914066202000 or COOJ at +918322252525. Sneha India Foundation, which works 24x7, can be contacted at +914424640050. Vandrevala Foundation also has trained counselors, and its contact number is 18602662345.