Media Reports
Delhi: Ghost-buster Gaurav Tiwari found dead under mysterious circumstances
The founder and CEO of the Indian Paranormal Society was found lying on his bathroom floor with a thin black line across his neck.
Indian paranormal investigator Gaurav Tiwari, 32, was found dead at his Dwarka home on July 7, under curiously mysterious circumstances. Police are calling it a case of asphyxiation, but are yet to ascertain if it was a suicide.
The founder and CEO of the Indian Paranormal Society was found lying on his bathroom floor with a thin black line across his neck.
According to his family, they heard a loud thud from his bathroom at around 11 am on Thursday. They forced their way through the locked door to find Tiwari lying on the floor. He was rushed to a hospital but could not be resuscitated.
Suicide or not?
Initial investigation shows Tiwari had no financial or other pressing issues that could have driven him to suicide. He was featured on this month's cover of Youth Incorporated magazine and even posted about a day before his death.
Recently married, Tiwari used to stay out ghost-hunting quite late into the night and it led to some marital friction. He was investigating a suspected haunted house in Delhi's Janakpuri on Wednesday and returned home at around 1:30 am at night, triggering a fight with his wife.
He appeared absolutely fine on the day of his death, however, and was "checking mails" a few minutes before he died.
Police searched the house and Tiwari's mobile for clues but couldn't find anything substantial. They are now waiting for the full autopsy report.
His family members - who don't believe in the paranormal - initially suspected he died from the trauma from falling on the bathroom floor, a possibility that's being inspected. They have maintained that Tiwari had no reasons to kill himself.
Meanwhile, Australian paranormal investigator Allen Tiller who was working with Tiwari on a Syfy TV series 'Haunting: Australia' told his fans on Facebook that Tiwari had a heart attack.
There are, however, deeper mysteries behind his death.
Tiwari's father told the Times of India that his son was feeling "a negative force was pulling him towards it." He told his wife about it a month ago, saying "he was trying to control it but seemed unable to do so." His wife dismissed his fears believing he was just depressed due to heavy workload and didn't tell the family about it.
A spooky life
An ordained minister of Metaphysical Church of Humanistic Science, 'Reverend' Gaurav Tiwari was a certified paranormal investigator and UFO field investigator. During the course of his work, he visited more than 6,000 'haunted locations' and investigated 'hauntings', 'UFO abductions' and 'mysterious creatures'.
His paranormal research skills were so strong that his team was completely dependent on him despite having access to many hi-tech equipment like full-spectrum cameras.
In India, Tiwari had worked on various TV shows including Haunted Weekends with Sunny Leone, Bhoot Aaya, MTV He Ticket and Fear Files. He also appeared in Bollywood flicks 16 December and Tango Charlie.
Tiwari's tryst with the paranormal began in 2007 while he was studying in Florida, USA to become a commercial pilot. He experienced phenomena like poltergeists and heard disembodied 'whispers' in the apartment he was sharing with four other people. One of his flatmates also saw an apparition of young girl.
Soon after, all housemates reported hearing footsteps from the attic and seeing a translucent apparition of a young girl. The group vacated the house as they struggled to explain the goings-on, but the paranormal had already seized Tiwari's imagination.
Paranormal Society founder Gaurav Tiwari committed suicide by hanging, says police
Gaurav Tiwari, the Paranormal Society founder who was found dead under mysterious circumstances on July 8, had committed suicide by hanging himself inside his bathroom, police said on Monday.
Gaurav Tiwari, the Paranormal Society founder who was found dead under mysterious circumstances on July 8, had committed suicide by hanging himself inside his bathroom, police said on Monday.
Based on the preliminary autopsy report, police said his death did not involve any foul play although it is yet to ascertain the reason behind Tiwari taking the extreme step.
"The preliminary autopsy report confirms that he committed suicide. All his family members, including his parents and wife, were present in the Dwarka flat when he hanged himself using a piece of cloth," a senior police official said.
But no case has been registered in connection with the incident even as a legal proceeding under section 174 of CrPC is underway.
A senior police official said that Tiwari's family members were not happy with his ghostbusting activities, often late into the night, as he was not earning much.
Paranormal investigator death: Gaurav Tiwari had signed a contract with TV channel for a show, say colleagues
His colleagues said he had signed a contract with a leading television channel on ghost busting — the shooting of which was supposed to start around July 15.
Former colleagues of Gaurav Tiwari (32), founder of the Indian Paranormal Society who was found dead at his Dwaraka home under mysterious circumstances, said he wanted to make a horror movie.
His colleague Amit Singh, who had joined the company a year ago, said, “Last Monday, he floated the idea of making a horror movie to let the Indian masses know the reality of the paranormal world,” he said.
Although it was reported that Tiwari had complained to his family about some “negative forces”, Singh said Tiwari never believed in this idea.
He always remained positive and believed that forces are not negative. He said they are just sometimes angry and he wanted to show this in the movie,” he said, adding that Tiwari would never have committed suicide.
Tiwari’s collegaues said he had visited more than 6,000 haunted locations and investigated “several hauntings and UFO abductions”. They added that after starting his firm in 2009, Tiwari formed full fledged teams in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.
In 2015, Gaurav appeared as a spirit photographer and an investigator in a series. His colleagues said he had signed a contract with a leading television channel on ghost busting — the shooting of which was supposed to start around July 15.
Tiwari got married in February this year, said his father Uday. “He would never commit suicide. His death is a puzzle to us.”
His father, however, refrained from talking about anything else. “The police have told us to avoid the media until the investigation is complete,” he said.