Pratyusha Banerjee: Rahul Raj Singh opens up about actress death in police statement

Pratyusha Banerjee's boyfriend has spoken about the moment he discovered the actress's body in the home they shared in Mumbai. The 24-year-old actress was found hanging from a ceiling fan after she allegedly took her own life.

Her boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh gave his first statement to the police in which he explained it was he who discovered her. "We used to stay in a 2 bedroom flat. We had two keys; one key was with Pratyusha and the other was with me," he explained. "When I entered the bedroom, I found Pratyusha hanging from the ceiling. I got very scared. Immediately, I called the neighbours and with their help, I took her to Kokilaben Hospital. We assumed that she was alive, but she was not. I got so scared that I did not inform the police. It was the hospital authorities who informed them. After the doctor's declaration, I called up Pratyusha's family members and few of our close friends," said Singh, as reported by Pinkvilla.

Pratyusha's last rites were performed on 2 April, just a day after she allegedly took her own life. She was dressed in a bridal lengha as her last rites were performed at the Oshiwara crematorium grounds in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

According to sources, Pratyusha had placed an order for a bridal lehenga from designer Rohit Verma. It was thought she was due to marry Singh after the couple had visited her family two months ago where he asked for permission to marry her.

While Bollywood stars expressed their shock at the news of her passing on social media, her funeral was attended by her colleagues from the industry, including Ajaz Khan, Kamya Punjabi, Rakhi Sawant and Ratan Rajput. Punjabi, who appeared with Pratyusha on Bigg Boss 7, earlier claimed that the Balika Vadhu actress had a "troubled relationship" with her boyfriend. She alleged that the actress had sustained injuries to her nose and cheeks.

However, according to The Indian Express, police have almost certainly ruled out foul play. An officer close to the investigation reportedly said that Banerjee's parents had said in their statements that they did not suspect Singh to be responsible for the death. "They did not express any suspicion or claim any foul play. We are treating it as a case of suicide," the officer said.

A panel of doctors from the forensic department, pronounced the preliminary cause as ligature marks on the sides of the neck, that hinted towards asphyxia, police said. A senior police officer added: "Banerjee had been depressed and out of work since March last year. We will be speaking to more of her close friends to try and establish what made her take this drastic step."

The police have also seized two cellphones belonging to Banerjee and Singh from his possession and are attempting to establish who she spoke to last before her death. The final cause of death has been reserved as further analysis is undertaken.

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