The 5th death linked the Uttar Pradesh's massive NRHM scam has been confirmed as murder. The postmortem report on the dead health department accountant has confirmed that he was smothered to death. Mahendra Kumar Sharma, the 52-year-old whistle blower clerk in the health department in Lakhimpur was murdered, turning the spotlight back on the Rs 5,700-crore rural health fund scam in UP, which has left a trail of four previous deaths and exposed the deep rot in the system. Sharma had gone missing since February 7; a few days after the CBI - which is probing the scam - questioned the chief medical officer of Lakhimpur.
