Chouhan agrees to dead scribe's sister's demand on viscera test

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday accepted the demand of Pakshi Singh, the sister of deceased television reporter Akshay Singh, that the viscera samples of her brother should be sent outside the state for test.

Akshay Singh died on Saturday in Madhya Pradesh under mysterious circumstances while covering the Vyapam scam.

"As you know, he (Akshay) died in mysterious circumstances. I request you to get examined his viscera outside Madhya Pradesh, preferably at AIIMS Delhi, for free and fair investigation," Pakshi said in her letter to Chouhan.

India Today Group also demanded that the viscera samples should be sent outside Madhya Pradesh for test.

In a statement shared on Facebook page, India Today Group demanded a "fair and independent inquiry" into Akshay's death.

"The circumstances of the untimely death of TV Today journalist Akshay Singh merits a full, fair and independent inquiry. We urge the Madhya Pradesh government to immediately have the viscera sample sent to a recognised forensic laboratory outside the state, preferably Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences, for a thorough and transparent examination," the statement said.

"This would assuage the family, friends and well-wishers of Akshay who seek some closure," the statement added.

"Nothing we do will ever bring back Akshay, a brave and fearless journalist. The India Today group stands by the family in their hour of crisis," the statement said.

On Saturday, Akshay Singh was in Meghnagar in Jhabua district to talk to the family members of scam-accused Namrata Damor who too was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Jhabua Superintendent of Police Abid Khan told IANS that Akshay Singh and his two colleagues interviewed the family for around an hour after which the journalist suddenly fell ill.

He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.