Aaj Tak scribe dies by suicide, fellow journalist shares screenshot of a ‘day-before conversation’

New Delhi: In a heart-wrenching incident, a Noida-based journalist working in a prestigious organization allegedly committed suicide at his residence on Monday. Aakashdeep Shukla, working as Assistant Editor (as per X bio) in Aaj Tak killed himself today, as he gave in to the ‘mental distress & trauma inflicted on him allegedly by his wife & her parents’ and took the extreme step.

Shukla was under mental trauma over ‘constant threats of criminal cases’ from his wife & his in-laws, claimed a fellow journalist & filmmaker Deepika Bhardwaj.

Deepika took to X (formerly called Twitter) and claimed that Shukla spoke to her a day ago for about 20 minutes and shared his ordeal due to his wife & her parents. She also shared a screenshot of the WhatsApp conversation, they had a day ago.

She assured Shukla, during the telephonic conversation on Sunday, that matter will be sorted out but today Shukla killed himself.

“He was under constant threats of criminal cases. His court marriage was also done under pressure,” she claimed.

Bhardwaj further claimed that the Shukla’s court marriage was also done ‘under duress’ as the woman was calling him names on social media to malign his image.

I spoke to @JournoAakash for 20 mins y’day. He told me about the mental trauma he’s facing because of his wife & her parents. He was under constant threats of criminal cases. His court marriage was also done under pressure. I told him we will sort it. BUT HE KILLED HIMSELF TODAY pic.twitter.com/mBL26AIDHd

— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) August 14, 2023

As he couldn’t afford to lose his hard-earned career, he got married with the woman. After marriage, he was also forced & coerced by his father in-law to organize lavish function which was beyond his capacity, she claimed in her tweet.

“Shukla was also physically assaulted during fights,” she revealed.

She claimed that Aakashdeep was under deep stress and felt himself responsible for dragging his parents ‘into this mess’.

She also shared a moving article, written by Aakashdeep Shukla, which apparently sheds lights on the complex & tumultuous marital lives of today’s times.

Article written by Akash recently. His words in this article came from his heart. I never knew he was going through so much. I wish I could do something for him.

I feel just so gutted. Just so gutted https://t.co/9wqohasA12

— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) August 14, 2023

Though, its too early to conclude that ‘harassment & torture’ by wife & parents led to Shukla’s untimely demise but it certainly calls for a deeper probe into what forced him to take the extreme step.