Dubai Public Prosecution closes probe into Sridevi's death, says she died of accidental drowning

Ending speculations over Bollywood actor Sridevi's sudden death, the Dubai Public Prosecutors Office on Tuesday closed the investigation in the case and said she died of accidental drowning following the loss of consciousness.

Sridevi, known as Indian cinema's first woman superstar, passed away in her hotel room in Dubai's Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel late on Saturday night. Photo: PTI

NEW DELHI: Ending speculations over Bollywood actor Sridevi's sudden death, the Dubai Public Prosecutors Office on Tuesday closed the investigation in the case and said she died of accidental drowning following the loss of consciousness. The Dubai Media Office said that the case is now closed. "Dubai Public Prosecution has approved the release of the body of the Indian actress Sridevi to her family following the completion of a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of her death," it said. "Dubai Public Prosecution stressed that all regular procedures followed in such cases have been completed. As per the forensic report, the death of the Indian actress occurred due to accidental drowning following loss of consciousness. The case has now been closed."

Dubai Public Prosecution stressed that all regular procedures followed in such cases have been completed. As per the forensic report, the death of the Indian actress occurred due to accidental drowning following loss of consciousness. The case has now been closed.

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 27, 2018

The media office said the medical report showed that the death of Indian actress Sridevi Kapoor came as a result of her drowning in her hotel room after losing consciousness. The decision to release the body came after all the investigations and procedural matters followed in such incidents were completed, in order to determine all its circumstances and ensure that justice was done within the framework of the law, the Dubai Public Prosecutors Office said. "The Public Prosecutor's Office of the Emirate of Dubai has decided to hand over the body of Indian actress Sridevi Kapoor to her relatives on Tuesday after the investigation of her death and the closure of the incident," it added.

النيابة العامة في #دبي: قرار الإفراج عن الجثمان جاء بعد اتمام كافة التحقيقات والأمور الإجرائية المتبعة في مثل تلك الحوادث، للوقوف على كافة ملابساتها وضمان تحقيق العدالة في إطار القانون. — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 27, 2018

Three days after the actor was found dead in her room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel, the family was finally given custody of her body. Sridevi's mortal remains are expected to reach Mumbai by 10:30 PM by a private jet and her last rites will be performed on Wednesday afternoon at Pawan Hans crematorium. The actress, 54, died on Saturday in Dubai, where she had gone to attend the wedding ceremony of his nephew. When the reports of her demise first surfaced, it was said the actress died of cardiac arrest. Later it was established that the actress died of "accidental drowning" in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness. The Gulf News had reported that Sridevi was under the influence of alcohol, she lost balance and fell into the bathtub and drowned. The Dubai Police had on Monday recorded the statement of her filmmaker husband Boney Kapoor, who discovered Sridevi unconscious in the bathtub filled with water. The actress was then taken to a hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.