#Sridevi case: Dubai-based Khaleej Times tells Indian media ‘why jump to conclusions?’

A section of Indian media conducting “ground-breaking investigation” into the death of actress Sridevi seems to have gained international notoriety.

On Monday, Dubai-based news organisation Gulf News said the Indian actress died of drowning on Saturday and not a cardiac arrest, as was reported earlier. The Dubai Police in a report cited “accidental drowning” as the reason for her death.

While the Dubai-based media houses tried to limit their reports to the facts being released by the police, a section of TV news in India broke all records of speculation. Bizarre claims were made during Monday’s prime-time shows on national media, be it English or Hindi.

Another Dubai-based newspaper Khaleej Times, whose reporters and editors were being lined up by Indian news channels on phone lines for latest updates on the Sridevi case, gave a suggestion to the Indian media.

Khaleej Times, in a ‘Nano Edit’ on the front page, asked a section of the Indian media to not jump to conclusions. It wrote: “Indian actor Sridevi’s death has shocked us, but why jump to conclusions?”

The editorial further reads: “In our celebrity-packed culture, some segments of the media in India want to play judge even when authorities have not concluded their investigation. The authorities are working to get to the bottom of the truth. Forensics said the death was by drowning. To the media in India, we advise patience – a virtue in these trying times.”