"She Looked Happy On CCTV, What Changed In 15 Mins?" Pilot's Uncle To NDTV

Srishti Tuli was "a lively and bold girl", her uncle also said, describing her as being very motivated by her grandfather, a soldier who died for his country in the 1971 war.

"It is not suicide... it is cold-blooded, planned murder" - strong words from Vivek Tuli, the uncle of 25-year-old Srishti Tuli, the Air India pilot found dead at her Mumbai apartment Wednesday.

Srishti Tuli was "a lively and bold girl", he also said, describing her as being very motivated by her grandfather, a soldier who died for his country in the 1971 war. "She wanted to be a fighter pilot but her daadi did not allow her to go into the armed forces. So, she said being a commercial pilot is also wearing a uniform and so she chose that option."

Ms Tuli's uncle spoke to NDTV to protest vehemently against the police's claim his niece died by suicide. "... see, Srishti was very happy at 11.30, when she called her mother and said everything is very good. She said she had come back from a flight and had to fly again in a few days. In the CCTV feed also, which police showed me, she was so happy going upstairs with that guy..."