round-up of details on the “sudden accidental death” of Asok Kumar, Labour MP in the UK. a man with no known health problems, who lives alone, and is found sitting in a chair, dead, by “accident,” and it’s not considered suspicious. and it’s a “huge shock.” and yet, it’s “unexplained.” get it? sounds like he died doing something they’d rather not say.
1. what does “sudden accidental death” mean?
The Indian-born 53-year-old, a former scientist, was single and had no underlying health problems.
Sources said that there was no sign of a break in at his home and there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances or third party involved.
Police officers forced entry to the home in Marton, Middlesbrough, at 12.30pm and found the MP’s body inside.
Dr Kumar, an aide to Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, had represented the north east constituency since 1997 and was regarded as a champion of British Steel. He was the fifth MP of Asian origin to be elected in post-war Britain.
Before becoming an MP, Dr Kumar was a research fellow at Imperial College, London and a research scientist for British Steel.
Dr Richard Pike, chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry said: “Ashok was a very great friend and long-standing supporter of the society and its work in Parliament. His background in science and chemical engineering made him very well equipped to represent his Middlesborough constituency.
2. tributes by Gordon Brown and Tony Blair
Dr Ashok Kumar, 53, had been working as normal, with major commitments as parliamentary private secretary to Hilary Benn, the environment secretary. He was also campaigning for Corus steelworkers’ jobs in his Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency. His body was found after anxious staff failed to rouse him by phone and called emergency services, who broke into his home.
The prime minister, Gordon Brown, led tributes to the former research scientist’s 14-year Commons career, saying: “He was a tenacious campaigner for his constituents and a warm and incredibly generous man.” The former prime minister Tony Blair, a fellow north-east MP before his retirement, said: “Ashok was a dedicated MP, with a determination to serve the community he was from.”
Cleveland police said Kumar’s death was not being treated as suspicious but remained unexplained.
…Police said paramedics had declared him dead at the scene and that relatives had been informed.
3. discovered sitting in a chair
He was discovered sitting in his chair in Marton, Middlesbrough, by officers who were called to the redbrick semi-detached house at lunchtime. He was not known to have been unwell. A post-mortem examination was due to take place tonight and police said they were investigating it as a “sudden accidental death”. Sources indicated that it was not thought to be suspicious at this stage.
…
Dr Kumar had also been a strong supporter of the controversial police officer Det Supt Ray Mallon, known as Robocop, who pioneered a popular zero tolerance crime policy before becoming the subject of a £5m corruption investigation into Cleveland Police. Mr Mallon was cleared of any wrongdoing and went on to become the first directly-elected Mayor of Middlesbrough.
In 2006 the MP broke ranks by calling for the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to make way for Gordon Brown. In an article in the Northern Echo he demonstrated Mr Blair’s waning authority, saying: “If Mr Blair is concerned with securing a lasting and memorable legacy for Britain, then I can think of no better way than to allow a smooth and rapid succession for Mr Brown.” Today however Mr Blair also paid tribute: “As a neighbouring MP I saw first hand his commitment to the north-east where the support he received grew year after year. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time.”
