Varsha Bhosle left alone with easy access to firearm despite previous suicide attempts

Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle’s fifty-six-year-old Varsha, who shot herself to death yesterday, was allowed to live alone with easy access to a pistol despite her previous suicide attempts, it has emerged. The former columnist has a history of suicide attempts – she had reportedly tried to kill herself thrice with an overdose of sleeping pills.

The first two times — in 1998 and 2008, she received treatment at the Bombay Hospital and the Jaslok Hospital. Her third attempt to end her life was in 2010. Varsha, who was a divorcee, was being treated for depression at the time of her death. The police said they will carry out investigations by examining her medical history. As for Varsha’s access to the pistol, Krishna Prakash, additional commissioner of police (south), said, “We are not sure if the Belgian-made Browning patented pistol was licensed. We will also have to find out whose name it was registered in.”