Can't imagine Tharoor harming Sunanda, says brother

Strongly defending Union Minister of State for Human Resources Shashi Tharoor, Sunanda Pushkar’s brother Rajesh, a serving Colonel in Indian Army, on Saturday said it was “unimaginable” that he could harm Sunanda and sought end to the rumours that were hurting the family.

Sunanda was one of the strongest personalities and to even remotely think that she would do any bodily harm to herself is “preposterous” and “should not be believed”, Rajesh said in a statement.

“I have been with both Shashi and my sister throughout their journey together and can say with utmost confidence that they were a couple madly in love with each other.

Differences, if any, were momentary and do happen in every household, and we do not believe that they have any bearing on the incident,” he said demanding speedy probe into the case to end speculation. Dismissing media speculation about Sunanda’s death, he said both he and his father were “deeply disturbed” at the “slanderous statements” that have been made in the media regarding her death.

“I have known my sister to be an angel at heart but to often impulsively say things she did not mean and withdraw them later.

“My sister was one of the strongest personalities and to even remotely think that she would do any bodily harm to herself is preposterous and should not be believed. Also to think that my brother-in-law would do any harm to her is unimaginable,” he said.

He requested that the matter be put to rest so that peace can be bestowed on the departed soul. This was the second statement issued by a family member of Sunanda.

Earlier this week, Sunanda’s 21-year-old son from a previous marriage, Shiv Menon, had released a statement to the media saying his mother was “too strong” to commit suicide and she died due to an “unfortunate combination of media stress, tensions and a wrong mix of different medication”.