‘CASE CLOSED’, SRIDEVI’S FUNERAL TODAY
LAST JOURNEY Cremation to be held today in Ville Parle, Mumbai
An ambulance carries Sridevi’s body on a Mumbai road on Tuesday. Authorities in Dubai said the investigation into the death was closed. Her funeral will be held at 3.30pm.
NEWDELHI/DUBAI: Bollywood actor Sridevi’s body was brought to Mumbai in a private jet on Tuesday night after UAE authorities closed the investigation into her shock death in a Dubai hotel room, saying she died of accidental drowning in a bathtub.
Family members, including her producer-husband Boney Kapoor and stepson Arjun Kapoor, took the body from the morgue, got it embalmed and flew to Mumbai.
The Embraer jet, owned by industrialist Anil Ambani and parked at the Dubai airport since Sunday, landed in Mumbai around 9.30pm, according to airport officials who declined to be named.
In a statement, the family said the body will be kept at Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala near her home for people to pay their last respects from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Wednesday.
“The last journey will commence at 2pm from Celebration Sports Club to Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery,” it said.
The cremation is scheduled for 3.30pm.
The Dubai authorities had held the 54-year-old superstar’s body since Saturday night, pending the results of the post-mortem investigation.
The Dubai Media Office, the official Twitter handle of the media office of the government, said on Tuesday the body was released to the family after thorough investigation, and no foul play was suspected by the investigators.
“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,” it said.
Dubai daily Gulf News reported that Sridevi’s husband was called to the Bur Dubai police station for questioning and was allowed to go to his hotel after the procedure.
“On behalf of Khushi, Janhvi, Boney Kapoor, the entire Kapoor and Ayyappan (Sridevi’s parents) families, a sincere thanks to the media for your continued sensitivity and support during this emotional moment,” a statement by her family said.
The 54-year-old Bollywood icon was in Dubai to attend a family wedding.
Her death sent shockwaves across India with those who knew her at a loss to explain how the star could die so suddenly.
At first it was reported that she died of a cardiac arrest, triggering questions and disbelief.
The autopsy said she drowned in the bathtub in her room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel.