Akshat Utkarsh, a 26-year-old television actor from Bihar, was found dead in his Mumbai apartment on Sunday (27 September) night. Amboli police officials have said Akshat died by suicide as he was depressed due to lack of work, as per a report by Hindustan Times.
Akshat's family, however, has dismissed the depression narrative, claiming that the aspiring actor was murdered. On Tuesday, 29 September, his body was taken to the native village of Muzaffarpur. The family has alleged police negligence.
Speaking to Hindustan, Akshat's maternal uncle Ranjit Singh said that the Mumbai Police did not take the matter seriously and didn't even lodge an FIR. Singh added that Akshat couldn't be depressed because he had found a film. Speaking to The Quint, police sources said that an FIR wasn't filed because the post-mortem report revealed the cause of death to be suicide. They also said that a note hasn't been found.
Police officials told Hindustan Times that Akshat was staying with a female friend in Andheri when the incident took place. "At around 11:30 pm, when his flatmate woke up to use the washroom, she found Akshat dead in his room. She immediately informed the police", officials said. The actor was rushed to a private hospital, wherein he was declared dead before arrival.
Someshwar Kanthe, senior police inspector at Amboli police station told HT, “We have registered an Accidental Death Record (ADR) and are investigating the matter. A preliminary inquiry and autopsy report do not indicate any foul play.”
Police officials who have questioned his friends said Akshat was in depression as there was no job because of the coronavirus lockdown and because he had to borrow money from his family and friends.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
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