West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday (June 15, 2026) announced that the State police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will take over the investigation into the mysterious death of popular Bengali actor Rahul Arunodoy Bandyopadhyay at Talsari beach in Odisha on March 29. 

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Adhikari said, “A few days ago, a film actor died mysteriously at Talsari while shooting. His family members urged for an investigation into the matter and also lodged an FIR. The case will now be handed over to the CID.”

The 42-year-old actor, died while shooting for the television series Bhole Baba Par Karega at Talsari beach. He reportedly entered the water at Talsari, just as the tide came in and was prima facie swept away at that very moment. Technicians subsequently pulled him out of the water. Preliminary reports indicated that his death was caused by drowning. It was reported that he was rushed to a hospital at Digha in East Midnapore district where he was declared dead. 

Lack of safety measures

Following the development, the artists and his co-actors raised concern over the lack of safety measures in place while shooting in the sea while many have also alleged that the production team did not have the permission to shoot at the site. 

Mr. Bandyopadhyay’s co-artists striked for a few days demanding a thorough and unbiased probe into the case. Later, although they decided to boycott the production company invloved in the matter.

Mr. Bandyopadhyay’s wife Priyanka Sarkar also lodged an FIR for unnatural death following which the Odisha police formed an SIT to investigate the matter. 

The head of the production company, Leena Gangopadhyay, a close confidant of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Women resigned from that chair following the surfacing of controversy over the actor’s death.