Television actor Sanchita Ugale’s death by suicide at the age of 22 has left the entertainment industry in shock. As investigations continue, her cousin brother Akash Satish Ugale has made a series of emotional claims, alleging that the young actor had been facing tremendous pressure and mental distress in the period leading up to her death.

Speaking to the media after her demise, Akash drew parallels between Sanchita’s death and that of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, whose death on June 14, 2020, had sparked widespread debate about pressures within the entertainment industry. Referring to the coincidence that both deaths occurred on June 14, six years apart, Akash said, “He committed suicide on 14th June 2020. Why? Because Bollywood, this industry, put a lot of pressure on him.” He further alleged that Sanchita had been dealing with similar pressures. “Yesterday my sister also committed suicide for the same reason,” he claimed.