Sridevi accidentally drowned in Dubai hotel bathtub

DUBAI: Celebrated Indian actress Sridevi died due to “accidental drowning” in a bathtub, Dubai authorities confirmed almost 40 hours after her death was announced by her family.

However, following an autopsy and forensics investigation, Dubai Police said the initial investigation showed that she had drowned after loosing consciousness in the bathtub in her room in Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel where she was staying. The Dubai government tweet did not reveal the results of any toxicology tests.

The full post-mortem report has not yet been made public and will be expected to explain how the original report of cardiac arrest and the listing of "accidental drowning" are linked, reported the BBC. Sources had on Sunday told Gulf News that Sridevi had died after collapsing in the bathroom of the hotel.

However, Dubai Police sources told Gulf News that they had also found traces of alcohol in her body and this may have led to the accident. “The investigation is still going on to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident as the forensic report only says that she drowned,” an official said.

Although, Sridevi had mentioned in her earlier interviews that she was leading a very healthy life with exercise, balanced meals and yoga, there was widespread speculation in the mainstream and social media about several cosmetic procedures she may have undergone after she made her comeback in 2012 with the movie English Vinglish. It is said she underwent as many as many as 29 procedures on her face, nose and lips.

She was reportedly under the treatment of a plastic surgeon in southern California and was allegedly taking diet suppressants and metabolism-boosting pills. Dubai doctors opined that such pills in combination with alcohol could have lead to heart arrhythmia triggering a fainting spell and causing her to accidentally drown.

As first reported online by Gulf News, the death report issued by the Preventive Medicine Department of the Ministry of Health also cited “accidental drowning” as the cause of death. The police said they were still trying to piece together the sequence of events and ascertain who had been with her prior to her death.

Following the issuance of the death certificate, the Dubai Media Office tweeted that the case was referred to the public prosecution for further investigation. “Dubai Police has transferred the case to Dubai Public Prosecution, which will carry out regular legal procedures followed in such cases,” it stated.

A chief prosecutor told Gulf News that in such accidental death incidents, the results of the post-mortem and forensic examination reports are referred to the Public Prosecution as part of routine law enforcement procedures. “The papers are [then] revised by the prosecutors of the jurisdiction where the incident happened. An official order to hand over the body of the deceased to the family or relatives is issued shortly after that.”

In case of any suspicion of foul play, prosecutors carry out detailed investigations and decide on law enforcement procedures accordingly, the chief prosecutor said. In an earlier interview to the Indian media, India’s Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri had said they had got clearance from Dubai authorities to repatriate Sridevi’s mortal remains. When Gulf News contacted him later, he clarified that his quote was relevant at that point of time.

However, given the later developments (of the case being referred to the Public Prosecution), “the repatriation issue remains open-ended,” Suri said at around 5.45pm on Monday. He added that the Indian Embassy was in talks with the Dubai authorities to get clearance and was hopeful it would happen by Monday night. At the time of going to press, there was no confirmation about the release of Sridevi’s body for embalming and subsequent repatriation. The mortal remains were expected to be flown home in a private jet.