Actor Rahul was underwater for over an hour, sand found in lungs: Autopsy report

The preliminary autopsy report of popular West Bengal actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, who drowned while shooting for a serial in Digha, India, has revealed startling details.

According to Kolkata media outlets citing Tamluk Hospital sources near Digha, the actor's death was caused by prolonged submersion in water.

The report states that a large amount of sand, along with saltwater, was found in Rahul's lungs. Sand and water were also found in his oesophagus, windpipe and stomach. Due to the accumulation of sand and water, his lungs had swollen to twice their normal size.

Hospital authorities said the condition suggests the actor was submerged in water for over an hour, as such effects would not occur with a short period of submersion.

Meanwhile, a vehicle carrying Rahul's body left Tamluk Hospital for Kolkata, accompanied by his driver, the production manager of the serial 'Bhole Baba Par Karega', and others.

The camera footage from the serial shoot has been recovered. Police have taken the camera for investigation, capturing the moments before Rahul's death.

Various speculations have emerged about what exactly happened at the scene on Sunday. Investigators believe a thorough examination of the camera footage will help clarify the sequence of events.

Actor Diganta Bagchi from the West Bengal Artist Forum said, "Rahul entered the water after the shoot. Either he did not know how to swim or got stuck somehow. Suddenly technicians shouted that Rahul was drowning. He was rescued quickly and was still alive at that point, but died on the way to the hospital."

Serial producer Leena Gangopadhyay said there was no scene requiring entering deep water during the shoot. Many others have said Rahul entered the water after the shoot, but why? Fellow actors and fans are questioning why Rahul would go into the water in the evening.

Rahul's colleagues and several artists from the Tollygunge studio area have called for an impartial investigation into his death.