New Delhi: It seems like dark days for the television industry as another shocking demise news has left fans heartbroken. He was found dead in the room of an Igatpuri hotel in rural Nashik in the early hours of Wednesday, a police official told PTI. The 51-year-old actor was in Igatpuri for a shoot. Initial reports suggested that the senior actor Nitesh Pandey of Anupamaa fame has died due to cardiac arrest according to ETimes. 


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

According to the official, the body has been sent for a post-mortem examination and the police have registered the Accidental Death Report (ADR) at the Igatpuri police station. Pandey was found unconscious in his bedroom and later declared dead before admission at the hospital. During the probe police found that Pandey was alone in the hotel room when the incident was took place, the official said.


Police said a preliminary investigation revealed that Pandey had ordered some food. The hotel staff got suspicious when the actor didn't open the door after the hotel staff knocked several times, the official said. Pandey was found unconscious after the staff opened the door with the master key, they added.


"His family members have been informed about the incident and his body has been sent for post-mortem. We are awaiting a medical report to know the exact cause of death. We are further probing into the matter," the official added.


Nitesh Pandey's producer brother-in-law Siddharth Nagar, confirmed the news. He told ETimes, "Yes you have heard it right. My brother-in-law is no more, my sister Arpita Pandey is in a state of shock. Nitesh's father has left for Igatpuri to get his mortal remains. They should be here by the afternoon. We have gone absolutely numb, I have not been able to even talk to Arpita after the tragedy."


Nitesh was first seen in the TV show Tejas back in 1995. He later worked in shows including Manzilein Apani Apani, Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani, Saaya, Justajoo and Durgesh Nandini among others. He also played cameos in Bollywood films like Om Shanti Om, and Khosla Ka Ghosla to name a few.




The late star runs 'Dream Castle Productions' which is also into producing radio shows, reportedly. With much exposure in theatre, he worked in plays including Aastha and Misal Pav with veteran dancer-actress Sudha Chandran.


On the personal front, he was earlier married to Ashwini Kalsekar (1998) but they separated in 2002. Later, Nitesh Pandey got married to TV actress Arpita Pandey.


He was recently seen in the 2022 release Badhaai Do and played the role of Dheeraj Kapoor in the superhit daily soap Anupamaa featuring Rupali Ganguly.


(With PTI inputs)