Overview
- The model, 26-year-old Divyanshu Joshi, slipped into deep water and drowned while scouting a quarry for a shoot on May 28; rescue teams recovered his body from about 30 feet and he was declared dead at Perumbavoor hospital.
- Police registered an FIR after a complaint by Rajeev Neelakantan of Rubberband Productions and have opened a criminal inquiry focused on missing permissions and who authorised the location visit.
- Kartik Research, the brand involved, issued a public statement mourning Joshi and saying swimming was not part of the production, while the company and police offer contradicting accounts of who entered the water to search for him.
- Local officials say the Pettamala quarry was closed and marked hazardous for decades, had gates and warning signs after earlier drownings, and may have been chosen because of popular aerial videos on social media.
- The death is renewing calls for clearer safety rules and enforcement for on-location fashion shoots, with potential changes to how brands, local crews and contractors obtain permissions and manage risk.