Popular Bhojpuri actress Akanksha Dubey was found dead inside a hotel room here on Sunday, police said. The 25-year-old actress was found hanging from the fan with a piece of cloth and the police were called immediately, according to the hotel staff.

Dubey, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi district, had come to Varanasi for the shooting a movie and was staying in the hotel under Sarnath police station area.

When Dubey did not come out of the room till late morning the hotel staff, on the insistence of her colleagues, opened the gate of her room using a masterkey. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sarnath) Gyan Prakash Rai said, “The family members of the deceased live in Mumbai. They have been informed about the incident. No suicide note has been recovered from her room. Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide.”

Varanasi police Commissionerate said that the body has been sent for post-mortem and police are investigating the matter.

Dubey starred in several regional films including Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki 2?, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’ (Bhopuri) and ‘Veeron ke Veer’. Bhojpuri film personalities such as Rani Chatterjee, Vinay Anand and Aamrapali Dubey took to social media to pay condolences. “Can’t believe seeing this news. What should I write, it is not right to end your life like this. May your soul find peace wherever it is, which it could not find in this world, it could find in heaven. It is hurting a lot! Om Shanti! #rip #aakanshadubey,” Chatterjee wrote on Instagram.

Anand said he is pained by Dubey’s demise and he would like the authorities to investigate the case.

“Just found out that Bhojpuri artist Akansha Dubey died by suicide, so sorry to hear about that. We never worked together as far as I can remember. I’d like to know the reason behind this. May she rest in peace. Hari om,” Anand said in an Instagram post in Hindi. Posting a photo with the 25-year-old actress on her Instagram, Aamrapali Dubey wrote, “I wanted to use our pictures together only to highlight your achievements!”