From 'cardiac arrest' to 'accidental drowning': How narrative of Sridevi's cause of death changed

What gave a dramatic twist to Sridevi's sudden death was her forensic report, which said the actress died of "accidental drowning" in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness.

What gave a dramatic twist to Sridevi's sudden death was her forensic report, which said the actress died of "accidental drowning" in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness. Photo: AFP

NEW DELHI: Bollywood Actress Sridevi, considered to be the first female superstar of the Indian cinema, died on Saturday in Dubai, where she had gone to attend the wedding ceremony of his nephew. While some of her family members returned to Mumbai from Dubai after the wedding, Sridevi and her younger daughter Khushi stayed back. According to reports, Sridevi's filmmaker husband Boney Kapoor also returned to Mumbai but flew back to Dubai and went to her room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel to "surprise" her with dinner. The couple had a brief conversation before Boney Kapoor invited Sridevi for a dinner, Khaleej Times reported. The actress later went to the washroom and did not come out. Kapoor knocked on the door but when he didn't get any response, he forced open the door and found Sridevi lying motionless in the bathtub full of water. When the reports of her demise surfaced, it was said the actress died of cardiac arrest. However, her family said she did not have a heart condition. She was 55. Her sudden death has also fuelled a debate on whether measures taken to lose weight and look young had taken their toll. Sridevi, who over the years became quite a fashion icon -- sometimes giving tough competition to her daughters -- commanded popularity like few others. What gave a dramatic twist to Sridevi's sudden death was her forensic report, which said the actress died of "accidental drowning" in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness. "Following the completion of post mortem analysis, Dubai police headquarters today stated that the death of the Indian actress Sridevi occurred due to drowning in her hotel apartment's bathtub following loss of consciousness," Dubai government's media office said on Monday. The latest report of accidental drowning only deepens the mystery surrounding her death. Her family has not commented beyond their initial statement on Sunday to announce the death, and has requested the media to not contact them as they deal with the tragedy. The Gulf News reported that Sridevi was under the influence of alcohol, she lost balance and fell into the bathtub and drowned. “The investigation is still going on to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident as the forensic report only says that she drowned,” Gulf News quoted an official as saying. "The police are trying to piece together the sequence of events and find out who was with her when the incident happened," it said. The Dubai Police said it has transferred the case to Dubai Public Prosecution, which will carry out regular legal procedures followed in the UAE in such cases. "In such accidental death incidents, the results of the post-mortem and forensic examination reports are referred to the Public Prosecution as part of ordinary law enforcement procedures," Gulf News quoted a chief prosecutor as saying. "In case of any suspicious foul play, prosecutors would carry out further detailed investigations and decide on any future law enforcement procedures accordingly," he said. Executive Editor of UAE's Khaleej Times, Vicky Kapur, told ABP News that the Dubai Police will record the statement of Boney Kapoor in connection with wife Sridevi's death. Sources also said the Dubai Police is examining call details of the actress. Meanwhile, there could be a further delay in the return of Sridevi's mortal remains with the Dubai police informing the Indian Embassy that another "clearance" was awaited before it could release the body of the actor. The clearance of the Public Prosecutor on whose basis the Dubai Police could issue necessary instructions is awaited.