TV Today group journalist Akshay Singh investigating Vyapam scam dies under mysterious circumstances

Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh: A journalist working for a leading Delhi-based news channel today suddenly took ill and died after having interviewed parents of a girl who had been found dead near railway tracks after her name figured in the infamous Vyapam scam of Madhya Pradesh. The incident took place in Meghnagar near Jhabua town.[caption id=“attachment_2327352” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image courtesy ibnlive.[/caption] According to CNN-IBN, The India Today Group on Saturday evening issued a statement, “The India Today group is deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Akshay Singh. Akshay had been working with Aaj Tak as a Special Correspondent since December 2013. Akshay worked with the Special Investigation Team of Aaj Tak. He was an enterprising journalist who had many hard hitting investigations to his credit. He had been on an assignment in Madhya Pradesh investigating the Vyapam scam for the past four days. The cause of his sudden demise is not yet clear. We mourn the death of our valued colleague. Our thoughts and prayers are with Akshay’s family. We hope that doctors and law enforcement agencies are able to establish the cause of Akshay’s death.” Akshay Singh, who worked for TV Today group, had today called on the parents of Namrata Damor, whose body had been found under mysterious circumstances near railway tracks in Ujjain district. Namrata’s father Mehtab Singh Damor said Akshay and two others visited their house this afternoon. After the interview was over, someone 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. Jhabua district’s Superintendent of Police Abid Khan confirmed that a person named Akshay Singh had died in Meghnagar. 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 Gaur, who arrived here 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. Reacting to Akshay’s death Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh raised questions over the death of a Delhi-based news channel journalist demanding that his post-mortem should be done in camera under supervision of senior doctors preferably in Delhi. Singh, who had for quite some time been targetting the BJP government of Madhya Pradesh and its Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the scam also said that he had warned the scribe to be careful. “I met Akshay one day before he left for MP. Warned him to be careful. I am shocked ! Pay homage to him and convey condolences to his family. “Shocking ! Post mortem should be done in camera under supervision of senior Doctors preferably in Delhi,” Singh tweeted. With PTI inputs