May 28 (Mid-day): The 20-year-old’s body was found on the premises of an apartment complex near her society in Charkop; while police have termed it a suicide, her father suspects a colleague, who stays in the same building, killed her

Mystery shrouds the death of a 20-year-old from Kandivli, who lost her life after allegedly falling from the terrace of a 15-storey high-rise near her own residential society in Charkop.

While the police believe she leapt from the terrace, her father alleged a colleague who lives in the same building murdered her. On May 24, the mangled body of Seemi Prasad (20) was found on the premises of Triveni Apartments, a high-rise in Charkop.

Seemi was an employee of a Malad-based call centre, and stayed with her parents and siblings in a residential society not too far away. Police registered an accidental death report (ADR), and have labelled it a suicide. “According to us, Prasad committed suicide as she landed on her feet.

This happens when a person jumps from a height. Had she been thrown, she would’ve landed on her back or chest, and near the building,” said Pradeep Raorane, assistant police inspector, Charkop police station. Witnesses told the police that Seemi had been seen outside the building at 5.30 am that day.

The incident took place around 6.30 am. Police sources alleged that Seemi was a drug addict. “According to our investigation, we have found that Seemi was a drug addict and also consumed alcohol,” said a police source.
‘Murdered’

Seemi’s father, S Prasad, however, dismissed the cops’ theory and claimed his daughter had been murdered. Prasad told mid-day that Seemi had left for work on May 20. As she had a night shift, the family assumed she was at work.
However, at 8 pm, Seemi called them to inform them that she was in Lonavla for an ad shoot along with her friend, Sagar, whose phone she was calling from. Sagar works in the same call centre. Another of Seemi’s colleagues, Mahesh, lives in Triveni Apartments.

On May 21, Mahesh allegedly arrived in a drunken state at Seemi’s house and told her father she had stolen his mobile phone. “We told him to approach the police if he thought Seemi had stolen his phone, and asked him to leave when he threatened that he would harm Seemi,” said S Prasad.

Seemi returned home at 3 pm on May 23. After dinner, the family went to sleep. On May 24 the day of the incident Seemi told her father she was going for a morning walk and left home at 5 am. “At 7 am, a police officer and a youth, Sai Chetan, informed us that Seemi was dead.

They told us they had found a chit in her pocket with a phone number belonging to Sai Chetan written on it. Through him, they reached our home,” Prasad added. Prasad believes Mahesh may have killed Seemi, as he had already threatened to harm her.

They also suspect some of the youths Seemi had been in touch with may have had a video clip of hers, with which they were blackmailing her. “Sagar had been sending Seemi gifts. It is possible that Mahesh got jealous of their relationship,” Prasad said.

Cops have detained Sagar and are investigating further. They have received the names of 17 youths who would call Seemi at home, and are also recording the statements of her call centre colleagues to find out if they know anything about her relationship with Mahesh and Sagar.