Ujjain: 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, a copy of which is with PTI, 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 told PTI 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 postmortem, 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 (SDOP), 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.