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Highlights
- Pratyusha is best known for playing Anandi in the soap Balika Vadhu
- Pratyusha allegedly killed herself over difficulties in her personal life
- Actor Ajaz Khan has alleged that Pratyusha has been murdered
Actress Pratyusha Banerjee's death, which is being investigated as a possible suicide, was 'a clear case of suicide,' ANI quoted sources as saying. The actress, who allegedly hanged herself at her Mumbai home, was taken to Mumbai's Kokilaben Ambani Hospital on Friday by her boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh, sources say. She apparently killed herself over difficulties in her personal life.
Mr Singh, who was questioned by the police on Saturday, told ANI he was 'innocent.'
The post-mortem report, however, does not rule out foul play.
Pratyusha, best-known for playing the lead character of Anandi on TV show
Balika Vadhu, She was taken to Mumbai's Kokilaben Ambani Hospital and was declared dead upon arrival. The post-mortem, conducted at Mumbai's Siddharth Hospital, revealed 'suffocation' as cause of death, ANI reported. The last rites, which took place at the city's Oshiwara Crematorium on Friday evening, were attended by Pratyusha's colleagues and friends from the television fraternity
Cops are searching Pratyusha's house for clues, but no suicide note has been found so far.
Condoling her death, BJP leader Shazia Ilmi asked for a 'complete probe' into the matter and stressed on the need for women to be emotionally strong. "It's really unfortunate that a young, successful actress who was so popular had to take this step. There should be a complete probe and all evidence should be taken to make sure that it was a case of suicide. There should be a conversation on the subject. If she is blaming her boyfriend, they should know how to treat their women. How should one person treat the other. Emotional violence is one of the worst things to happen. Women have to be more stronger emotionally, not just financially. Men must be more responsible towards their partner so nobody is forced to take a step as grievious as this," Ms Ilmi told ANI.
Activist Abha Singh linked Pratyusha's suicide to the larger issue of the breakdown of the nuclear family and also called for the need to decriminalise article 309 (Attempt to Commit Suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). "It is very tragic that a young girl, a successful TV artiste who was famous as
Balika Vadhu committed suicide. As on date, article 309 of the IPC is an offence which entails an imprisonment of upto one year. Keeping this case in kind, We should put pressure on Parliament to decriminalise 309 of the IPC otherwise a star who requires help does not say 'I am suffering from depression' because suicide is a state of mental depression. In the glamour world and otherwise, depression is on the rise because of the disengagement of the family breakdown of nuclear family," Ms Singh told ANI.
Pratyusha's death has sent shockwaves through Bollywood.
Actor Raza Murad said he was baffled how 'a girl who was a fighter can commit suicide' and called for a detailed probe into the matter. "I was well acquainted with her. She was full of life. I cannot understand how a girl who was a fighter can commit suicide. The police should carry out a detailed probe into the cause of her death. Even if she committed suicide, there is a provision under law called 'abetment to suicide.' It is extremely sad that a girl who was one of TV's leading stars has committed suicide. Nafisa Joseph, Jiah Khan and Kuldeep Randhawa and so many such girls have tragically lost their lives. We need to probe who has pushed her against the wall," Mr Murad told the press.
Actress Surekha Sikri, who played '
Dadisa' to Pratyusha's character in
Balika Vadhu, told IANS: "I am absolutely shocked. I knew her, she was very sweet. She was a sensitive person, she must have taken something to heart and must have got really emotional."
Tanuj Garg, former CEO of Balaji Motion Pictures, disclosed on Twitter that Pratyusha and Raj were planning their wedding.
Fingers are being raised at Raj. Actor Ajaz Khan, a close friend of Pratyusha's, has alleged that she has been murdered.
"My friend is no more. I know that what happened was very wrong. But this is not a case of suicide. She was not so weak. It seems to be a case of planned murder," Mr Khan told NDTV.
TV actress Dolly Bindra, who knew Pratyusha from her
Bigg Boss days, told ANI she was 'too strong to commit suicide.'
TV actress Pooja Bose joined the chorus, saying Raj was not impacted by Pratyusha's death. "I know Pratyusha would never commit suicide. She was my best friend. She was a strong girl. We as friends couldn’t sleep the whole night after hearing about Pratyusha. While her boyfriend was sitting outside having a packet of chips. We are now waiting for the post-mortem reports. A complete and fair investigation is required." A charge Rahul's parents have refuted. His father Harshvardhan Singh claimed that the couple were extremely happy to be together. "They were both very happy and we thought why should we object if they want to get married. She enjoyed her stay with us She told us I share a strained relationship with my parents," Mr Singh told ANI. His mother Shivani claimed that he was extremely upset. "He was tense. He was crying a lot I asked his friend to take care of him. I don’t know why media is reporting all this," she told ANI. The actress was earlier dating businessman named Makrand Malhotra, with whom she had a bitter break-up and against whom she had lodged a complaint for abusive behaviour.In January this year, Pratyusha had alleged that she was molested by some men dressed as police personnel.
Pratyusha Banerjee played Anandi on
Balika Vadhu from 2010 to 2013. She was also a contestant on reality shows
Bigg Boss and
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and appeared on several other shows like
Sasural Simar Ka.
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