Family members of Ishmeet Singh ~ winner of Star TV’s singing reality show Voice of India, who died after drowning in a swimming pool in a resort in Madives on Tuesday ~ suspect foul play behind his death.
Ishmeet's family members in Ludhiana have demanded a high level probe into his death. However, just hours before he was scheduled to get a state funeral in Ludhiana, Ishmeet’s uncle Mr Charan Kamal Singh said that injury marks were found on his forehead and chest and the singer's swollen face has aroused suspicions that he might have been murdered. The post mortem report, contested by his family, states that his death was caused due to drowning. He appealed to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Punjab chief minister Mr Prakash Singh Badal to order a proper inquiry into the death of the singer.
Mr Singh said there could be three suspected reasons for his reasons ~ jealousy of fellow-contestants, conspiracy of professional singers or murder by some militant outfit.
"Before the Tragic Incedent ,Ishmeet Was ATTACKED quite number of times........."
The postmortem report released on Thursday citing drowning as the cause of Ishmeet Singh's death has failed to convince his family.
According to them, the Voice of India winner may have been murdered in Maldives.
In a startling revelation, Ishmeet's uncle GPS Chadha told NoGyan that there was an attempt to kill the 19-year-old singer just two weeks before he tragically drowned in a hotel swimming pool.
"Ishmeet told me that he was travelling in his car from Mumbai to Pune on July 13 when another car suddenly came from behind and hit the side on which he was sitting. There was a choreographer travelling with Ishmeet as well, but I don't remember his name. Ishmeet's car was badly damaged and he had a narrow escape on that occasion," says Chadha.
The story was corroborated by Ishmeet's other uncle Chaman Kamal.
According to him: "When the news of his death came, the first that came to my mind was the earlier attempt to kill him in a car accident. I know that the postmortem report found water in his lungs and heart, and suggests death by drowning. But I don't agree with this finding."
"What I suspect is that he was hit and then thrown into the pool. When I spoke to Vyom who was with him at the time the incident happened, he was not speaking properly. I could hear someone telling him from behind what to say. The other girl Arunima told me she was not there at the time Ishmeet drowned. She said she was at some other pool. However when I made enquiries at the Chaaya Island Dhonveli resort where they were all staying, the staff said they had just one swimming pool," adds Kamal.
The distraught member of Ishmeet's family insists there are too many lose ends for the matter to end with the postmortem report.
"I want a proper enquiry conducted into his death. Everybody who was there with Ishmeet should be questioned and the culprit has to be punished. Ishmeet knew how to swim. Sure, he was not an expert swimmer but he was no novice either. He had learnt swimming while in Mumbai. Will someone explain to me how Ishmeet reached the center of the pool when it was so deep and far away from the corners? Only a proper investigation can reveal the truth," he says.
Ishmeet's father Gurprinder Singh Sodhi, still grappling with the grievous loss that has befallen his family, also thinks Ishmeet's death is unnatural.
"There was no reason for him to die like this...I suspect foul play," he says.
Assistant Manager of the Chaaya Island Dhonveli resort Marlon Robert refused to comment on the conspiracy theories surrounding Ishmeet's death.
According to him: "I cannot say anything about the family's allegations of foul play. The Male police are investigating the matter and if something wrong happened, it will come out."
What he is sure about is that the resort did not err in letting guests swim in the absence of lifeguards. "We cannot stop our guests from going to the swimming pool," says Robert.
Vyom and Arunima, the two singers named as eyewitnesses to Ishmeet's death, could not be reached for their comments.
Thousands turn up to bid adieu to Ishmeet
As the body of 19-year-old Ishmeet Singh made its last journey from his home to the cremation ground in Ludhiana on Thursday, commoners and celebrities turned up in force to bid a tearful farewell to the "Voice of India".
Mystery still surrounds his death in the swimming pool of a Maldives hotel, but that he was much loved was evident from the presence of thousands of mourners, among them Bollywood singers and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Residents of this industrial city couldn't help but remember how they had turned out with drums, crackers and sweets to celebrate Ishmeet's ascent as the winner of the "Voice of India" show in November.
"I cannot believe he is no more. His face had a look of satisfaction. I felt that he would just get up and start singing in his sweet voice again. God has not been fair in giving him so much in life and then snatching away the life in a second," said Rajbir Singh, a resident of Sarabha Nagar who had come to Ishmeet's modest home.
Among the crowds were Gajendra Singh - the man behind most of the successful reality shows on various TV channels, singer Abhijeet - who treated Ishmeet like his son - and popular Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans.
Shops in the area remained closed for the second day to mark respect to Ishmeet.
"I can still hear him" Speaks out Himane
"I can still hear him call out 'Oy Himaneeee' from across the room," says reality show contestant Himani Kapoor who is still in a state of shock on learning about Voice Of India winner Ishmeet Singh's death in the Maldives.
"He was such a gem of a person. Why should he be taken away so rudely? I'm leaving for Ishmeet's hometown Ludhiana. I want to see him for the last time. I still can't believe he's gone," says Himani.
Ishmeet, 19, had gone to the Maldives for a promotional event with the music company with which he had a contract. Ishmeet left Mumbai on Tuesday morning for the Maldives, where he was to perform on August 1. However, he drowned Tuesday in a swimming pool at a beach resort.
Himani accompanies the whole Voice Of India team to Ludhiana for the funeral Thursday at 4 p.m. Ishmeet's body was flown to Ludhiana from the Maldives Wednesday evening.
"All of us from Voice of India, Toshi Sabri, Irfan Ali, Aishwarya plus two members of Endemol, the company that produces the show, will be going to Ludhiana. And of course, Gajendra Singhji (the programme's producer and director)."
Till late Wednesday evening Gajendra Singh was unable to take in the bad news.
"How could this happen?" he kept repeating.
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