Sridevi died of accidental drowning in hotel bathtub: Dubai govt

Mumbai/Dubai: Bollywood actor Sridevi died of “accidental drowning” in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness, the Dubai government said on Monday, giving a dramatic twist to her sudden death that has stunned legions of fans and industry colleagues.

The autopsy report, which was tweeted, had a stamp of the “ministry of health UAE” and the signature of director of preventive medicine, Dubai, Dr Sami Wadie.

It mentions the actor’s full name, “Sreedevi Boney Kapoor Ayyappan”, her passport number, date of the incident (February 24, 2018) and cause of death.

It is not clear what caused the actor to lose consciousness and drown accidentally in her hotel apartment’s bathtub, and whether the initial report of her death due to cardiac arrest still holds.

Sridevi is survived by her husband, filmmaker Boney Kapoor and two daughters.

There could be a further delay in Sridevi’s body being brought back to India, with the Dubai police informing the Indian embassy that another “clearance” was awaited before the body could be released.

Indian envoy to the UAE Navdeep Suri told PTI the embassy had been informed that the Dubai police could only release the body after another “clearance”. He, however, did not say what type of a clearance was awaited.

“It is their internal process. We do not know,” he said.

The Dubai government said in a tweet the police had transferred the case to the “Dubai Public Prosecution” which will  carry out regular legal procedures followed in such cases.

According to reports, Sridevi’s body may be embalmed on Tuesday.

Sridevi’s death, which was first reported at around 3 am on Sunday in India, sent shock waves across the country with those who knew her at a loss to explain how she could have suffered cardiac arrest at such a young age.

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.

In Dubai to attend the wedding of Mohit Marwah, her husband Boney Kapoor’s nepher, Sridevi and her younger daughter Khushi had stayed back for a few more days.

Kapoor, who had flown to India late on Friday, flew back to Dubai to surprise her, and asked her out on a dinner date.

According to sources, Sridevi was asleep and had woken up to the surprise. Following his arrival, the actor and Kapoor chatted for 15 to 20 minutes before she went to the bathroom to get dressed for the evening. When Sridevi did not come out of the bathroom for a long time, Kapoor knocked on the door and, upon getting no response, forcefully opened the door — only to find Sridevi motionless.

The incident spot has been examined by authorities and reports said that Boney Kapoor has been questioned by Dubai police.

The Dubai-based Gulf News had said early on Monday that the actor was under the influence of alcohol, fell into the bathtub and drowned. However, this could not be independently confirmed.

Now, the Dubai Public Prosecution will carry out legal procedures that are followed in such cases. The first step is to send the forensic report to the public prosecutor’s office, which will assess the merits of the case and then decide on the course of action to be taken.

Sridevi, who started acting at the age of four, ruled Bollywood in the 1980s and 1990s with her electrifying presence, expressive eyes, comic timing and dance moves.

The mystique around her, heightened by her guarded nature, continued to persist even after she took a 15-year-long break from films.

She was a fashion icon for many, who closely followed her sartorial choices on social media, a platform she was active on.

Just two days before her death, Sridevi’s Instagram pages were full of pictures from the wedding celebrations where she was seen in a green Manish Malhotra lehnga, happily posing with daughter Khushi and the newlyweds, nephew Mohit and Antara Marwah.

In a video from the wedding, which has since gone viral and is thought to be her last appearance at a party, Sridevi is seen dancing to the Bollywood song Kaala Chashma. When Boney Kapoor joins her on the dance floor, the two hug each other.

In Mumbai, many Bollywood celebrities visited the home of actor Anil Kapoor, Boney Kapoor’s brother. Sridevi’s two daughters are staying at the house.