BackSridevi’s body ‘released’ to family, funeral in Mumbai tomorrow
The Kapoor family has got custody of Sridevi's body and taken it for embalming, and her funeral is likely to be held in Mumbai on Wednesday
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Dubai/Mumbai: Ending speculation over Bollywood actor Sridevi’s death, the Dubai Public Prosecutors Office on Tuesday said she accidentally drowned following loss of consciousness and her body “released" to the family after a comprehensive investigation.
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. Family members, including her filmmaker husband Boney Kapoor and stepson Arjun Kapoor, took the body from the morgue to get it embalmed before heading for the Dubai airport for her final journey home.
Sridevi’s funeral is likely to be held in Mumbai on Wednesday.
A private jet had flown in to Dubai from Mumbai on Sunday, a day after her untimely death.
Dubai Media Office, the official Twitter handle of the media office of the government, said in a series of tweets that the Sridevi death 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."
Sridevi, 54, known as Bollywood’s first woman superstar, leaves behind her husband Boney Kapoor and daughters Khushi and Jhanvi Kapoor.
The Consulate General of India in Dubai also confirmed on Twitter that Dubai Police had given permission to take the body for embalming. In Dubai, embalming is routinely done in cases where the body has to be transported, Gulf News reported.
Arjun Kapoor reached Dubai this morning to be with his father. “Arjun has gone to Dubai this morning to be with his father at the hotel while the formalities are being wrapped up and to oversee the return journey," said an official statement from the family in Mumbai.
On Monday, the Dubai police said on its Twitter handle that Sridevi drowned in her bathtub after she loss consciousness. The case was transferred to the Dubai Public Prosecution, which carried out further investigation and procedures followed in such cases, it said. “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," it said.
Sridevi was in Dubai for a family wedding and had stayed back after the ceremonies. Her husband had flown back to Mumbai with their younger daughter Khushi, but returned to Dubai to surprise her, reports said.
The news of her death, first reported at around 3 am on Sunday, sent shock waves across India . Those who knew her were at a loss to explain how the actor, who was present at several wedding functions in Dubai last week, could die so suddenly.
In Mumbai, industry insiders and friends visited the family in the home of actor Anil Kapoor, Boney’s younger brother. With their father away, Khushi and Jhanvi were at their uncle’s Juhu home.
Director Anees Bazmi, who has worked with Boney Kapoor on No Entry, was among the visitors at Anil Kapoor’s house on Tuesday. “It is a big shock for everyone. I have worked with the entire Kapoor family. I can’t imagine what Boneyji would be going through at this point. He loved her very much. Their two daughters are so young. It is a sad situation."
“I have not told the family about what the media is reporting. It is sad, unfortunate. A person like her does not deserve this," Bazmi told PTI, referring to the TV coverage of Sridevi’s death.
The others who have called on the family in their hour of grief include Shah Rukh Khan, and his wife Gauri, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Tabu, Rekha and Farah Khan, Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi.
While celebrities went to condole her death at Anil Kapoor’s residence, there were staggered crowds outside Sridevi’s home in a Lokhandwala building.
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