Sunanda Pushkar had spat with UAE journalist

Indian Minister of State for Human Resources Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar, who was found dead in a New Delhi hotel room Friday night, had an ugly spat with a journalist in Dubai earlier this month.

The journalist, working for the Khaleej Times, a leading English daily of the United Arab Emirates, was doing an interview of Tharoor at a private dinner party Jan 9 when the incident took place.

According to the Khaleej Times, the journalist was interviewing Tharoor after a prior appointment arranged by a public relations firm when Pushkar barged in and sought an end to the interview.

"You really need to stop this!" she was quoted as saying referring to the interview that her husband was giving.

"This is why I hate the media," she reportedly screamed at the reporter. "I have thrown liquor at Arnab Goswami (a leading Indian television anchor). You think I can't do that to you?"

According to the Khaleej Times report, Tharoor was taken by surprise and quickly slipped into the shadows.

"The normally unflappable minister seemed lost for words, the outburst from Sunanda - heard by all within earshot - catching him clearly by surprise. The embarrassed minister, his charm rapidly fading, slipped into the shadows," the report said.

According to the newspaper, after the report went viral online, several tweets were sent out to both Tharoor and Pushkar enquiring about the article following which Pushkar tweeted: "some Journos!! Tell them to take an interview at a decent hour not at a family dinner means a Hissy fit? I had even slotted a time the next day despite Shashi not wanting to do it. this is the gratitude I get?"

The public relations firm later apologised for the incident, the Khaleej Times said.