Mala Ashok Ankola, the 77-year-old mother of former cricketer Salil Ankola, was found dead in her Pune flat on Friday with her throat slit, in what police suspect may have been a case of suicide. The body was discovered in her residence on Prabhat Road in the Deccan Gymkhana area after her maid alerted relatives, concerned by the lack of response at the door.
“When the door was opened, the woman was found dead with her throat slit. Prima facie, it looks like the injuries are self-inflicted. However, we are probing the case from all angles,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Sandip Singh Gill.
According to the police, Mala Ankola had been suffering from a mental ailment, which may have contributed to the tragic incident.
Salil Ankola, a former fast-medium bowler who represented India in one Test and 20 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) between 1989 and 1997, later transitioned into acting in films and television serials. The shocking news has left the Ankola family and the cricketing community in grief.
Further investigations are underway to ascertain the full details of the incident.
