Actress and model Shefali Jariwala died late Friday. She was 42. In a conversation with NDTV, Shatrughan, the watchman of the actress’s residential society, shed light on the events of the tragic night.
What’s Happening
- Shefali reportedly died of a cardiac arrest late Friday.
- The security guard, Shatrughan, was on duty when Shefali was rushed to the hospital. Recalling the sequence of events, he said, “Around 10:30 at night, Shefali ji was taken to the hospital. Before that, at around 9 PM, her husband Parag Tyagi came to the society on a motorcycle. I was the one who opened the gate.”
- He also recalled seeing the couple earlier in the week and said, “Just the evening before yesterday, Shefali and Parag were seen in the society compound with their dog.”
- Soon after Shefali was taken to the hospital, police teams and forensic units arrived at the scene. He added, “The police have been inside since last night. There were two mobile forensic unit vehicles – one has left, one is still here.”
- Describing the moment they found out about Shefali’s death, he said, “After she was taken to the hospital, a man came on a motorcycle – he seemed like a friend – and informed us that Shefali was no more. We couldn’t believe it when we heard. Madam was seen just the day before yesterday, and now she’s no longer with us.”
Background
Shefali Jariwala was rushed to Bellevue Multispecialty Hospital by her husband, Parag Tyagi, where she was declared dead on arrival.
Her body has been sent to Cooper Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Following the news of her untimely death, an old interview of Shefali has resurfaced in which she spoke about her long battle with epilepsy and how it affected her career.
Shefali Jariwala On Her Battle With Epilepsy
In an earlier interview with The Times of India, Shefali revealed that she was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 15. “I had an epilepsy seizure at the age of 15. I remember at that time I was under tremendous pressure to do well in my studies. Stress and anxiety can lead to seizures. It’s interrelated; you could get a seizure due to depression and vice versa,” she said.
The actress also opened up about how the condition impacted her confidence and daily life. “I have got seizures in classrooms, backstage, while on roads, and somewhere that lowered my self-esteem,” she said.
Talking about the effect of her health condition on her professional life, Shefali said, “After I did Kaanta Laga, people asked me why I didn’t do more work. I can now say that it was because of the epilepsy seizures that I couldn’t take up much work. I didn’t know when I would get my next seizure… this went on for 15 years.”
Shefali had also shared that she had been seizure-free for nine years, attributing her recovery to natural healing methods and a strong support system. “I am proud of myself because I managed my depression, panic attacks and anxiety naturally and with the help of a strong support system,” she shared.
