Vice president condoles Vinod Mehta's death

Vice President Hamid Ansari on Sunday condoled the death of senior journalist Vinod Mehta, saying he was one of those scribes who would express his views and opinions in a "fearless and outspoken manner".

"Vinod Mehta was amongst those eminent journalists and writers of our times, who expressed their views and opinions in a fearless and outspoken manner, especially on issues of public interest and concern," Ansari said in a statement issued here.

"In his departure, a bold and sane voice has been silenced which will be missed by one and all," Ansari said, adding that he was deeply saddened at the passing away of Mehta.

"I convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. I pray to the Almighty to give them strength and fortitude to bear with their loss," he said.

The 73-year-old Mehta died of multi-organ failure on Sunday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here. He had been bed-ridden for the past three-four months and was admitted to AIIMS in a critical state last week.