`Jiah Khan had attempted suicide eight months ago`

Zee Media Bureau Mumbai: Jiah Khan, who died on Monday night after hanging herself, had attempted suicide eight months ago by slitting her wrist, it has been revealed. The police officers said Khan had tried taking her life earlier and was apparently drunk when she slit her wrist. They also found a pack of Ayurvedic sleeping pills in her bedroom, DNA reported. What incited Jiah to take such an extreme step is yet to be found out but her apparent tiff with boyfriend Sooraj Pancholi is believed to be one of the reasons for her acute depression. “Though Khan’s mother, Rabia, in her statement to the police, mentioned the relationship, she did not make any allegation. She said Jiah was depressed for the past few months,” said a police officer. “However, Sooraj told the police that she was upset as she was not getting any film offers for the past three years. That appeared to have been the reason for her earlier attempt,” he added. Doctors, who conducted the autopsy, said that post-mortem report indicated she died of asphyxia due to hanging. “There were no additional injuries or bruises on her body except for the anti-mortem ligature mark on her neck which was caused due to hanging,” said Dr TP Lahane, dean at state-run JJ Hospital. “Her organs have been preserved for histopathological and chemical analysis. At the moment, we cannot say if she was under the influence of alcohol or/and drugs when she hanged herself.” The post-mortem report confirmed that the actor died between 10 pm and midnight. The post-mortem procedure was video-recorded. “In cases of women committing suicides, the post-mortem is video recorded and report submitted to the Union Home Ministry,” said Dr Lahane. Additional commissioner of police, Vishwas Nangre Patil, said: “It is a suicide case and after preliminary investigation it appears that there was no abetment. But we recorded Sooraj’s statement because he was the last person she spoke to before taking her life.” Patil added that they are investigating the case from all angles. “We have seized Khan’s laptop and mobile phone and will check their messages, call records, e-mail account and other social networking site,” he said. Another police officer said the couple was happy, barring some arguments. Sooraj’s father, Aditya Pancholi, also gave his statement to police. “This is because Rabia had gone out for dinner with Anju Mahendroo and Aditya Pancholi. When she returned home, she found her daughter hanging in her bedroom,” said police.