Mortal remains of Sridevi reaches Mumbai along with family members

Agencies
February 27, 2018

The body of Bollywood icon Sridevi, whose sudden death triggered a frenzy of grief, disbelief and searching questions, was flown back to Mumbai today after Dubai authorities determined that she had accidently drowned in her hotel bathtub.

Family members, including her film-maker husband Boney Kapoor and stepson Arjun Kapoor, brought her body in a private jet after three days of uncertainty over her unexpected death on Saturday in Dubai.

Earlier today, Dubai Public Prosecutor's Office put an end to speculation about the cause of her death, saying she accidentally drowned in the bathtub following loss of consciousness, and that the "case was now closed".

It did not say what caused the 54-year-old superstar to lose consciousness. The Embraer jet, owned by industrialist Anil Ambani, landed in Mumbai around 9.30 p.m. and the cremation is scheduled tomorrow around 3.30 p.m.

Ending speculation over Bollywood diva Sridevi's sudden death, the Dubai Public Prosecutor's Office said on Tuesday that she accidentally drowned following loss of consciousness and that her body was "released" to the family after a comprehensive probe.

Sridevi's funeral will take place on Feb. 28 late afternoon here, the family said in a statement.

In a detailed announcement, the family said that her body will be kept at Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala for people to pay their last respects before it is taken for cremation.

"On behalf of Khushi, Janhvi, Boney Kapoor, the entire Kapoor and Ayyappan families, a sincere thanks to the media for your continued sensitivity and support during this emotional moment," the statement read. It said that well-wishers can pay their condolences from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. at Celebration Sports Club, Garden No 5, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West.

The family said that the media can also pay their respects "provided camera, recording devices etc. are left outside the venue. The last journey will commence at 2 p.m. from Celebration Sports Club to Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery." 

The cremation will take place at around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The 54-year-old actress, known as Indian cinema's first woman superstar, passed away in her hotel room in the Jumeirah Emirates Towers late on Saturday. 

Three days after the actress was found dead, 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 to Dubai airport for her final journey home. A private jet had flown to Dubai from Mumbai on Sunday, a day after her death. Dubai Media Office, the official Twitter handle of the media office of the government, said in a series of tweets that the 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."

The actress leaves behind her husband Boney and their two daughters Jhanvi and Khushi.

The Consulate General of India in Dubai also confirmed on Twitter that Dubai Police had given permission to take the body for embalming.

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. The Dubai Police said on its Twitter handle on Monday that Sridevi drowned in her bathtub after she lost consciousness. The case was transferred to the Dubai Public Prosecutor's office, which carried out further investigations 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 a.m. IST on Sunday, sent shock waves across India.

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 amongst the visitors today. "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 while referring to the sensational TV coverage of the 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, Farah Khan and Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi. There were also huge crowds outside Sridevi's home at a Lokhandwala building.

Earlier post

Sridevi's body released to family; funeral set for Feb 28

Dubai, Feb 27: Ending speculation over Bollywood diva Sridevi's sudden death, the Dubai Public Prosecutor's Office said on Tuesday that she accidentally drowned following loss of consciousness and that her body was "released" to the family after a comprehensive probe.

Sridevi's funeral will take place on Feb. 28 late afternoon here, the family said in a statement.

In a detailed announcement, the family said that her body will be kept at Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala for people to pay their last respects before it is taken for cremation.

"On behalf of Khushi, Janhvi, Boney Kapoor, the entire Kapoor and Ayyappan families, a sincere thanks to the media for your continued sensitivity and support during this emotional moment," the statement read. It said that well-wishers can pay their condolences from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. at Celebration Sports Club, Garden No 5, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West.

The family said that the media can also pay their respects "provided camera, recording devices etc. are left outside the venue. The last journey will commence at 2 p.m. from Celebration Sports Club to Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery." 

The cremation will take place at around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The 54-year-old actress, known as Indian cinema's first woman superstar, passed away in her hotel room in the Jumeirah Emirates Towers late on Saturday. 

Three days after the actress was found dead, 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 to Dubai airport for her final journey home. A private jet had flown to Dubai from Mumbai on Sunday, a day after her death. Dubai Media Office, the official Twitter handle of the media office of the government, said in a series of tweets that the 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."

The actress leaves behind her husband Boney and their two daughters Jhanvi and Khushi.

The Consulate General of India in Dubai also confirmed on Twitter that Dubai Police had given permission to take the body for embalming.

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. The Dubai Police said on its Twitter handle on Monday that Sridevi drowned in her bathtub after she lost consciousness. The case was transferred to the Dubai Public Prosecutor's office, which carried out further investigations 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 a.m. IST on Sunday, sent shock waves across India.

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 amongst the visitors today. "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 while referring to the sensational TV coverage of the 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, Farah Khan and Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi.

There were also huge crowds outside Sridevi's home at a Lokhandwala building.

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News Network
March 16,2020

New Delhi, Mar 16: Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has been summoned by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others, officials said on Monday.

They said Ambani was asked to depose at the Enforcement Directorate office in Mumbai on Monday as his group companies are among the big entities whose loans went bad after borrowing from the crisis-hit bank.

The officials said Ambani, 60, has sought exemption from appearance on some personal grounds and he may be issued a new date.

Ambani's group companies are stated to have taken loans of about Rs 12,800 crore from the bank that turned NPAs.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said in a March 6 press conference that the Anil Ambani Group, Essel, ILFS, DHFL and Vodafone were among the stressed corporates Yes Bank had exposure to.

Officials said promoters of all the big companies who had taken large loans from the beleaguered bank which later turned bad are being summoned for questioning in the case to take investigation forward.

Ambani's statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) upon deposition, they said.

Kapoor, 62, is at present in ED custody after he was arrested by the central probe agency early this month.

The ED has accused Kapoor, his family members and others of laundering "proceeds of crime" worth Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending big loans through their bank that later turned NPA.

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News Network
March 6,2020

Riyadh, Mar 6: Saudi Arabia on Thursday emptied Islam's holiest site for sterilisation over fears of the new coronavirus, an unprecedented shutdown state media said will last while the year-round Umrah pilgrimage is suspended.

The kingdom halted the pilgrimage for its own citizens and residents on Wednesday, on top of restrictions announced last week on foreign pilgrims to stop the disease from spreading.

State television relayed images of an empty white-tiled area surrounding the Kaaba -- a large black cube structure inside Mecca's Grand Mosque -- which is usually packed with tens of thousands of pilgrims.

As a "precautionary measure", the area will remain closed as long as the umrah suspension lasts but prayers will be allowed inside the mosque, state-run Saudi Press Agency cited a mosque official as saying.

Additionally, the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque in the city of Medina will be closed an hour after the evening "Isha" prayer and will reopen an hour before the dawn "Fajr" prayer to allow cleaning and sterilisation, the official added.

A group of cleaners was seen scrubbing and mopping the tiles around the Kaaba, a structure draped in gold-embroidered gold cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

A Saudi official told news agency the decision to close the area was "unprecedented".

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia suspended the umrah for its own citizens and residents over fears of the coronavirus spreading to Islam's holiest cities.

The move came after authorities last week suspended visas for the umrah and barred citizens from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council from entering Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday declared three new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of reported infections to five.

The umrah, which refers to the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of year, attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe annually.

The decision to suspend the umrah mirrors a precautionary approach across the Gulf to cancel mass gatherings from concerts to sporting events.

It comes ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan starting in late April, which is a favoured period for pilgrimage.

It is unclear how the coronavirus will affect the hajj, due to start in late July.

Some 2.5 million faithful travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world in 2019 to take part in the hajj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam as Muslim obligations are known.

The event is a massive logistical challenge for Saudi authorities, with colossal crowds cramming into relatively small holy sites, making attendees vulnerable to contagion.

Already reeling from slumping oil prices, the kingdom risks losing billions of dollars annually from religious tourism as it tightens access to the sites.

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News Network
June 18,2020

New Delhi, Jun 18: With the highest single-day increase of 12,881 COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's coronavirus count has reached 3,66,946 on Thursday.

This includes 1,60,384 active cases and 1,94,325 cured, discharged and migrated patients, according to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

Meanwhile, with 334 deaths being reported due to the infection, the toll due to the virus stands at 12,237 in the country.

There is a big increase in the number of confirmed cases in the country today as compared to the recent days when the spike had been limited to under 11,000 cases.

Maharashtra with 1,16,752 cases continues to be the worst-affected state in the country with 51,935 active cases while 59,166 patients have been cured and discharged in the state so far. The toll due to COVID-19 stands at 5,651 in the state.

The number of confirmed cases in Tamil Nadu also crossed the 50 thousand mark on Thursday and reached 50,193. The national capital is the third-worst affected by the infection in the country with the count reaching 47,102 today.

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