19-yr-old student linked to Vyapam smothered, reveals autopsy

MBBS student Namrata Damor, whose body was found near rail tracks in Ujjain district in 2012 after her name figured in the Vyapam scam, had died a “homicidal” death caused by “violent asphyxia as a result of smothering” and nail injuries were found on her face.

As Madhya Pradesh Police decided to reopen the case of her death, the doctors who conducted the post-mortem said they never mentioned in their report that it was a case of suicide.

Earlier police had registered a “murder” case in this regard and later termed the incident as an “accident” and closed the case, a police official said.

The post-mortem report describes Namrata’s cause of death, as “asphyxia (violent asphyxia)...as a result of smothering.”

The findings were suggestive of the death being “homicidal”, as per the autopsy report issued on January 9, 2012.

The post mortem report was signed by Dr B B Purohit (Forensic Medicine), Dr O P Gupta (Medical Officer) and Dr Anita Joshi (Gynaecologist).

Dr Purohit said that “the panel of doctors that conducted the post-mortem has never mentioned in their short PM report as well as the detailed PM report that it was a case of suicide”.

“We also found nail injuries at three places on her face,” he said.

When the body was brought for post-mortem, at that time it was unidentified, Dr Purohit said.

The report also advised for “histopathological examinations to rule out any sexual intercourse prior to death”.

The autopsy was conducted at district hospital in Ujjain.

Namrata’s body was found near railway tracks under Kaytha police station limits in Ujjain.

Her case came back to focus after the sudden death of TV journalist Akshay Singh in Jhabua district’s Meghnagar town recently after he interviewed Namrata’s father.

Ujjain District’s Superintendent of Police Manohar Singh Varma said, “We have ordered a review of the death of Namrata Damor. Sub Divisional Officer of Police, Tarana, R K Sharma will reopen the case.”

Namrata was studying at the Government MGM Medical College in Indore and it was suspected that she took admission with the help of the racket involved in the high-profile Vyapam scam that is said to have claimed 45 lives so far. 

Despite Chouhan requesting the Madhya Pradesh high court on Tuesday for a CBI probe into the scandal that has dented the credibility of his government, there was no let up in Congress’ relentless assault on him with the party slamming the “criminal delay” in ordering an investigation by the central agency.

The Bharatiya Janata Party shot back, saying now that Chouhan had sought court’s direction for a CBI probe, Congress should stop “monitoring” it.

“This scam has an abhorring chapter of crime, conspiracy and murder. Preliminary evidence has its own significance in investigation. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has made a criminal delay in handing over the probe to CBI and many evidences have already been wiped out by now,” Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said in Delhi.

Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza demanded that the CBI probe encompass deaths of all people related to the scam.

“All such cases of deaths related to Vyapam, which have been described as suicide by Madhya Pradesh government should be probed by CBI under the monitoring of Supreme Court so that truth of all such unnatural deaths, accidental deaths and suicides come out,” she demanded and alleged names of a number of RSS and BJP leaders had figured in the scandal.

Another party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi reiterated the demand for supervision of CBI probe by a Special Investigating Team.

He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continued silence on the scandal. “If the PM will not speak on a case of 30, 40, 50 deaths, then I wonder what he will speak on. Will he speak on Twitter, on social media, on Red Fort, on television, on Mann ki baat?”

BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said since the CM had already sent a letter to the HC requesting it to hand over the case to CBI, the matter was now between the court and the investigating agency and Congress should stop “monitoring” it.

“The country and its people have faith in court-monitored investigation. There is no need for Congress monitoring it,” he said.

Youth Congress workers also staged a protest in Delhi demanding resignation of Chouhan and a court-monitored probe by the CBI.

Youth Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Brar, National Students' Union of India chief Roji John, besides Congress’s media department chief Randeep Surjewala addressed the workers.

Image: MBBS student Namrata Damor's body was found in Ujjain on the railway tracks in 2012