Air India pilot found dead in Delhi hotel room

An Air India pilot, identified as Sunny Asaldekar, was found dead in his room at Hotel The Grand in Vasant Kunj, South Delhi, on September 11, 2026. The pilot, who was based in Mumbai, had checked into the hotel on September 10 for a layover while undergoing conversion training for Boeing 787 aircraft operations.

The incident was discovered after the pilot’s brother attempted to contact him and received no response. Hotel management used a master key to enter the room, which was locked from the inside, and found Asaldekar unconscious and unresponsive. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Delhi Police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). While some reports indicated the death may have been due to cardiac arrest, authorities are awaiting the final results of a post-mortem examination conducted at Safdarjung Hospital and subsequent chemical analysis to determine the definitive cause of death. Preliminary investigations by the police have not suggested foul play.