Nilakshi Sharma

Dibrugarh, July 22: Assamese actress Nilakshi Sharma was six weeks pregnant when she died while shooting for singer Krishnamoni Chutia’s music video a week ago.

The official story so far said the 25-year-old actress was taken ill during the shooting at Namrup and died at the Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh on July 17. The post-mortem conducted at the hospital now suggests that she was pregnant and may have been poisoned.

The “foul play” cry raised by her family and reports of the “six-week-old foetus” and “signs of poisoning” revealed by the police today have suddenly added a “mystery angle” to her death.

Nilakshi was shooting for the second part of Krishnamoni’s smash hit album Chal Gori.

The actress’s family, based in Baihata Chariali, accused the singer of “neglect” in taking her to the hospital, saying the “delay” led to her death.

Though they stopped short of accusing anyone by name for the murder, the family said in its complaint that they “suspect foul play in her death”.

“It is really surprising that Krishnamoni has not bothered to contact us till date. Why is he avoiding us? We find this very strange,” Nilakshi’s elder sister Sangita said over phone from Baihata Chariali.

Police registered a case of unnatural death yesterday.

Krishnamoni, however, denied the allegations, saying: “There was no neglect in providing medical attention to the actress and everything which was possible was done”.

Krishnamoni Chutia

He said Nilakshi, who reached Namrup on July 14, was suffering from high fever and stomach-related problems for which she had received initial treatment at Namrup. When her condition did not improve, she was rushed to the AMCH, where she died.

Dibrugarh police chief Anurag Agarwal today said since the post-mortem report was “inconclusive”, the viscera has been sent to the Forensic Laboratory in Guwahati for further tests.

A police source added that there were signs of poisoning in her body.

Sangita, however, claimed Nilakshi did not have any affair.

“As sisters we were very close and we used to share secrets. She never mentioned about any man in her life.”

Deputy superintendent of police of Namrup, S.S. Panesar, said Krishnamoni and his crew have been asked not to leave Dibrugarh without informing the police for the next 10 days. “Since many people are in our list of suspects, we have asked Krishnamoni not to leave Dibrugarh,” the SP said.