Ishmeet Singh:Was he murdered

Ishmeet Singh:Was he murdered

The family of singer and winner of reality show "Voice of India" Ishmeet Singh, who died Tuesday in a resort in the Maldives, on Thursday claimed he may have been murdered.

Doctors at the Dayanand Medical College and hospital (DMCH) on Thursday commenced post mortem of the body, which arrived in Ludhiana on late Wednesday from Maldives via New Delhi. According to the preliminary post mortem report, Ishmeet had died due to drowning.

However, just hours before he was scheduled to get a state funeral, Ishmeet's uncle Charan Kamal Singh said in Ludhiana on Thursday that injury marks on the forehead and chest and the budding singer's swollen face had aroused suspicion that he may have been murdered.

"His death is not an accident alone. It could be part of a conspiracy. We want the matter investigated thoroughly. We want a case registered," Ishmeet's uncle told reporters in Ludhiana.

Photographs of the singer's body clearly showed a black mark on his forehead. The final post mortem report would be made available by Thursday evening.

The 19-year-old singer had gone to Maldives for a promotional event with the music company with which he had a contract. Ishmeet left Mumbai Tuesday morning for the Maldives, where he was to perform Aug 1. However, he drowned on Tuesday in a swimming pool at a beach resort.

Sources said police in the Maldives did not get a post mortem done since there are no facilities in the island country.

Ishmeet had Nov 26 last year won the 'Voice of India' singing contest, pipping his closest rival Harshit from Uttar Pradesh in a keen contest. He was given the winner's trophy by melody queen Lata Mangeshkar.

Supporters of the singer voted heavily for him from Punjab during the finals of the contest. Though Harshit led the votes tally in most regions of the country, the final count went in Ishmeet's favour due to heavy voting from Punjab.

source:santabanta.com

India is a big country with lots of different ethnic and religious groups. Small issues can take a turn for the worse and rift between these groups grow even further, with violent clashes never too far from your doorstep.

The unfortunate and tragic death of Ishmeet Singh, the much loved Indian pop idol who won last year’s inaugural Amul Star Voice of India, has hit the Sikh and Punjab communities real hard. Conspiracy theories have already begun to emerge with the family members of Ishmeet already officially stating that they suspect foul play behind his death, reports some media groups in India.

Ishmeet’s family have requested a high level probe into his death just hours before it was announced that the pop idol will be given a full state funeral, an honour awarded to most distinguished people in the country. The request came as a result of observations by Ishmeet’s uncle Mr. Charan Kamal Singh, who claimed that injury marks were found on his forehead and chest. He also said that Ishmeet’s face had swollen, all of which mounted to a possibility that Ishmeet could have been murdered.

The initial reports from Male’ were also conflicting. Although most reports said that he had been murdered, an eyewitness in ADK hospital where he was initially taken and where he was officially pronounced dead, did state that he also saw some injuries to his forehead and suspected that he may have died as a result of impacting with the hard bottom of the shallow side of the swimming pool.

Ishmeet’s family have already requested a full probe into the incident from Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh and Punjab’s Chief Minister Mr. Prakash Singh badal to order a full inquiry.

Ishmeet’s uncle told the media that there could be three reasons for suspecting foul play in this incident. He said they were, jealousy of fellow -contestants, conspiracy of professional singers or murder by some militant outfit.

Ishmeet was laid to rest in his home town in a state funeral attended by thousands on Thursday. Ishmeet’s father Gurprinder Singh Sodhi lit the pyre of his only son as wreaths were laid on the body on behalf of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
The state state government also announced it will set up an Institute of Excellence for Performing Arts named after Ishmeet as a remembrance and as recognition of his unique talent.

The Chief Minister’s office have also now confirmed that they will be launching a full inquiry into the incident in order to honour the wishes of the family, despite the fact that the post-mortem results were conclusive that he had died of asphyxia and that it was a clear case of drowning.