Her death in a Dubai hotel bathtub was officially ruled an accidental drowning, but the shock of it — and a delay in repatriating her body — fuelled a wave of online speculation that authorities and family rejected.
Sridevi died on 24 February 2018 while attending a family wedding in Dubai. Dubai authorities investigated and recorded the cause of death as accidental drowning in the bathtub of her hotel room, with traces of alcohol reported in her system.
The suddenness — a beloved 54-year-old star dying at a joyous family occasion — and the time taken to complete formalities and return her body to India set off intense speculation and conspiracy theories on social media. The official finding of an accidental death stood, and her family and the authorities dismissed the rumours.
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