Pratyusha Banerjee death anniversary: Television's rising star and 'Balika Vadhu' gone too soon!

New Delhi: On April 1, 2016, when people was busy fooling friends and family, there came a shocking news which created a huge void, never to b filled again. Indian television's favourite Anandi from 'Balika Vadhu', Pratyusha Banerjee was found dead in her Goregaon apartment, Mumbai.

As soon as the news broke, it was first taken as an April Fool's Day's bad joke. But eventually, it turned out to be the dark truth. The entire television and film fraternity was utterly shocked at this untimely death of an artiste, who had a great future and potential in the showbiz world.

She even featured in reality show 'Bigg Boss 7' in 2013 and her strong friendship with Kamya Punjabi was loved by the fans. Who thought she would end life one fine day?

What drew an even traumatic sketch of her suicide was the fact that Pratyusha’s body was found hanging from her Goregaon residence in Mumbai. An actress par excellence and a bundle of talent lay dead in her flat—all at the tender age of 24. How was it possible or why did she end her life? These questions and several others were boggling every sane person's mind (well, they still haunt many).

With her death, a man, who will always be better known as Pratyusha's boyfriend—Rahul Raj Singh - came into the picture. He first seemed like a guy who had lost the love of his life and was in acute stress and depression like state—cut to the allegations levelled by Pratyusha's friends and family that Rahul was behind the actress' death.

The case no longer remained what it looked like on the surface. Each and every layer of the revelation led to an even murkier detail making people wonder what really was going on between Rahul and Pratyusha.

Rahul was accused of allegedly abetting Pratyusha's suicide. He was arrested on the basis of a FIR filed by the late TV actress' mother Shoma Banerjee. She even said that he used to 'assault' her daughter.

Soon after he was taken into custody, a dramatic event took place where the lawyer following his case called it quits. Neeraj Gupta, who was Rahul's lawyer, reportedly claimed that his client concealed several crucial details, prompting him to listen to his conscience and leave the case.

Rahul got anticipatory bail from the Bombay High Court where Justice Mridula Bhatkar heard a three-and-half minute audio clip of the last telephonic conversation between Rahul and Pratyusha, an hour before she hanged herself at her suburban home on April 1. After which it was observed that there was no prima facie evidence to show that the accused "instigated or intended" the suicide, reports suggest.

The actress' boyfriend again got a reprieve from Supreme Court after it rejected the plea to cancel his bail. Pratyusha's parents, on the other hand, refuse to let go of their spirit in fighting for justice. They have sought re-investigation of their daughter's alleged suicide. From her last WhatsApp status to several phone call transcripts—each detail hints at a possible hidden jigsaw puzzle which awaits to be unfolded.

During the investigation, Pratyusha's personal life was in full public glare, getting judged every hour. What's ironic is the fact that just a few months prior to her untimely demise, she was seen sharing the screenspace with her boyfriend Rahul on a celebrity reality show 'Power Couple'.

None could possibly fathom that one fine morning, this young 24-year-old Balika Vadhu would not wake up to greet life. Several details from her personal life including the one where 'another woman' angle had been speculated a lot in the reports. Rahul's past had come calling and that too not in a pleasant way.

Her parents are still fighting for justice demanding CBI investigation in the case, and have even written an application to the sessions court for the same. The curious case of Pratyusha's death continues to haunt us as the jigsaw puzzle leading to the culprit remains unsolved.

Today, after one year, we still feel Pratyusha remained one of the shining stars, who went away too soon and the void your absence has created will never be filled!