Balasore: The accidental death of Bengali actor Rahul Banerjee at Odisha’s Talsari beach on Sunday has shaken the film industry and stirred a hornet’s nest.
The 43-year-old Rahul, who was shooting for a television series titled ‘Bhole Baba Paar Karega’ with co-star Sweta Mishra, died by drowning.
The production team neither sought police permission nor informed local authorities before conducting the shoot at Balasore’s Talsari beach, which is near Digha, close to the West Bengal border, according to Balasore SP Pratyush Diwakar.
This has led to several questions, with the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) calling for a murder case to be registered against the makers of ‘Bhole Baba Paar Karega’, and appealing to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi to intervene and take immediate action.
Alleging gross negligence and failure to follow basic safety protocols during the sea beach shoot, the association has demanded compensation to the tune of Rs 1 crore for the actor’s family,
The Balasore SP said that Talsari police received information about the accident from their counterparts in Digha, reported ANI. After joint verification, officials confirmed that the mishap took place around 5.30 pm while Rahul and Sweta were filming a scene in knee-deep water.
Both actors reportedly slipped into a ditch in the water, leading to a dangerous situation, especially for Rahul.
Crew members tried to rescue Rahul, who didn’t know how to swim, according to some reports. The actor was rushed them to a hospital in Digha, but he didn’t survive.
Call for FIR against production team
Even as a thorough investigation has been initiated, with Bengal police coordinating with their Odisha counterparts, the AICWA termed the case as “prima facie criminal negligence” and demanded that an FIR be registered under charges of murder against those responsible for the project.
In an official statement, AICWA demanded that a Rs 1-crore compensation be given to Rahul’s family, and that the amount should be recovered from the production entities involved.
AICWA also called for a high-level and time-bound judicial inquiry into the incident to ensure accountability.
The cine workers’ body stressed that shooting involving water bodies, especially the sea, requires stringent safety arrangements like trained divers, rescue teams and emergency preparedness. The absence or failure of such critical measures points to serious lapses by the producers, production house and the channel associated with the show, according to AICWA.
Rahul’s estranged wife Priyanka Sarkar, who is also an actor in the Bengal film industry, shared an emotional statement on social media, describing the loss as a “time of immense grief and deep despair.”
Priyanka and Rahul, who reconciled two years ago to co-parent their 12-year0old son, requested privacy for the family, urging media and the public to respect their boundaries during this difficult time.
