The West Bengal government has decided to hand over the investigation into the death of actor Rahul Banerjee to the state CID, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said, amid persistent demands from the actor’s family and members of the film industry for a detailed probe into the incident.
Adhikari said he had requested the Purba Medinipur district police to initiate the process for transferring the case to the CID.
"Recently, a film star died in Udaipur. The Odisha government constituted an SIT and started an investigation. I have instructed Purba Medinipur SP to immediately send the proposal through the DGP to the home secretary so that the CID can take over this case," Adhikari told reporters at Digha in Purba Medinipur district on Sunday.
He said the actor's family had already lodged a case in connection with the incident, which was initially registered as an unnatural death case.
Banerjee drowned at Digha on March 29 while shooting for a Bengali television soap.
His death had triggered widespread demand for a thorough investigation from his family, colleagues and members of the Tollygunge film industry.
The post-mortem examination report suggested he died of asphyxia after remaining trapped underwater for a prolonged period.
Large quantities of seawater and sand had entered his lungs and food passage, causing suffocation, police had said.
Adhikari also announced a series of measures aimed at improving tourist safety along the state's coastline, including increasing the number of lifeguards deployed at Digha and adjoining beach destinations.
"At present, there are only 63 lifeguards deployed in the Digha coastal belt. We do not want any repeat of such a tragic incident in the future. The government will take steps to increase the number of lifeguards in Digha and other coastal areas," the chief minister said.
The chief minister said the sub-divisional officer of Contai had been given special responsibility to oversee the initiative.
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