This Article is From Jul 05, 2015

Journalist Covering Vyapam Scam Falls Ill Suddenly, Dies

Akshay Singh, who worked for TV Today group, died after having interviewed parents of a girl whose name figured in the Vyapam scam

Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh: A journalist working for a Delhi-based news channel suddenly took ill and died on Saturday after having interviewed parents of a girl who had been found dead near railway tracks after her name figured in the Vyapam scam which has rocked the Madhya Pradesh government.

The incident took place in Meghnagar near Jhabua town.

Akshay Singh, who worked for the TV Today group, had called on the parents of Namrata Damor, whose body had been found under mysterious circumstances near railway tracks in Ujjain district.

"The post-mortem does not show any foul-play. No external wounds were found in the body. To determine the reason behind death we have sent viscera for histopathology and forensic analysis. After reports come in,we'll be able to give in a reason behind death," Dr Ashok Bachani, Medical Officer of the Dahod Civil Hospital told news agency ANI.

Namrata's father Mehtab Singh Damor said Akshay and two others visited their house on Saturday afternoon. After the interview was over, a person was sent to get some papers photocopied.

As Akshay was waiting outside Damor's house, suddenly he started frothing at the mouth. He was rushed to civil hospital and later to a private hospital, but doctors failed to revive him. From there, he was taken to another hospital in nearby Dahod in Gujarat, where he was declared brought dead.

At least 25 accused / witnesses have died so far in Vyapam scam, a massive admission and recruitment racket involving several bureaucrats and politicians, and the opposition Congress has been demanding a CBI probe into the matter.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babulal Gaur said the decision as to whether further probe was necessary into Akshay Singh's death would be taken only after getting the autopsy report.

"Let the post-mortem report come first...then we will decide on probing the issue further," said Mr Gaur, who arrived in Jhabua for an official tour.

About the significant number of deaths of accused in Vyapam scam, the Home Minister said the matter was before the court and also under investigation.
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