‘Died saving co-actor’: Rahul Arunoday Banerjee case flags lack of shoot permissions

Fresh details have emerged in the death of Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, with eyewitness accounts and postmortem findings offering a clearer, yet deeply distressing, picture of his final moments during a shoot at Talsari beach.

According to local witnesses, Banerjee died while attempting to rescue his co-actor, who had slipped and fallen into a depression in the seabed during a sequence filmed in knee-deep water.

A boatman who saw the incident from a distance said the actress, dressed in a sari, appeared trapped as the actor moved towards her in an effort to help.

The postmortem has since confirmed that Banerjee’s lungs contained a significant amount of sand and saline water, indicating that he struggled to breathe while submerged. Police officials said this suggests he remained conscious for some time underwater, gasping for air.

Eyewitnesses further claimed that Banerjee was pulled out of the water after a considerable delay. Here is a clip showing the final moments before the tragedy occured:

A resident said the actor was still alive when brought ashore, showing signs of distress and breathing difficulty, before the film crew intervened and took over.

Earlier accounts from authorities had stated that both actors fell into the water after strong waves hit during high tide while they were on a speedboat.

However, the latest testimonies suggest the incident unfolded closer to shore during a choreographed sequence.

The timeline of the rescue has also come under scrutiny. While the co-actor was reportedly rescued quickly, it took nearly an hour to locate and retrieve Banerjee, raising questions about on-site safety preparedness.

Adding to concerns, Odisha Police have stated that the production team had not obtained the necessary permissions for the shoot, nor had they informed local authorities.

Officials said that standard protocol in such cases includes deploying lifeguards, medical teams, and rescue equipment, none of which were reportedly present.

A case of unnatural death has been registered, and a joint investigation by Odisha and West Bengal Police is underway. Investigators are also examining inconsistencies in statements given by crew members.

As the probe continues, the focus remains on reconstructing the sequence of events and determining whether lapses in safety measures contributed to the actor’s death.