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

In a shocking incident, a journalist working for AajTak television channel on Friday 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.

Akshay Singh, who worked for AajTak news channel of the TV Today Group, had on Friday 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.

TV Today Network Managing Editor Rahul Kanwal statement over Akshay Singh's death TV Today Network Managing Editor Rahul Kanwal statement over Akshay Singh's death

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.

Madhya CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan assures strict probe

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan while expressing grief over Akshay Singh's death assured TV Today Group of a fair and strict probe into the incident.

"I am saddened by the untimely death of AajTak journalist. We are with the family in this hour of grief. I aasure a strict probe into the incident. It is unfortunate that such an incident has happened in Madhya Pradesh," Chouhan said.

Chouhan also informed that the post mortem is being carried out in camera by a team of doctors from Gujarat. The chief minister said he is not hesitant to hand over the Vyapam scam probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"I also request the Madhya Pradesh High Court to provide ample security cover to all those accused of the scam who are in jail," Chouhan added.

Meanwhile, doctors have denied any foul play in Akshay's death and said report of some tests are awaited and only after they arrive the actual cause of death will be established.

"The post mortem does not show any foul play. No external wounds were found on the body. To determine the reason behind the 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," said Dr Ashok Bachani, medical officer, Dahod Civil Hospital.

What is Vyapam scam?



According to some reports, 25 witnesses or accused in the high-profile scam have died under mysterious circumstances in the past five years. Some reports say 44 people associated with the scam have died so far.



The most high-profile death was that of Shailesh Yadav, son of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav. Shailesh, 50, was found dead at his father's residence in Mall Avenue area of Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow on March 25 this year. Ram Naresh Yadav, also a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was himself made an accused in the scam before getting relief from the court.

Vyapam scam is a massive admission and recruitment scandal involving politicians, bureaucrats and middlemen. Several politicians, including former education minister Laxmikant Sharma, a host of officials and scores of aspirants have been arrested in the case.