Inquiries ongoing into death of MP Ashok Kumar

Mar 16 2010 by William Green, The Journal

POLICE are investigating the death of Labour MP Ashok Kumar after his body was found by officers at his Teesside home.

As colleagues paid tribute to the 53-year-old politician, Cleveland Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious but it was “unexplained and inquiries are ongoing”.

Staff, who are believed to have raised the alarm after being unable to reach Dr Kumar by telephone, said the news had come as a “huge shock”.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown last night led tributes to Dr Kumar, praising the MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland as a “tenacious” campaigner as well as a warm and generous man.

Dr Kumar entered Parliament in November 1991 at a by-election for the Langbaurgh constituency, only to narrowly lose it in 1992. He regained the seat in 1997 and has held it ever since, but was facing a tough battle at the upcoming General Election. The Prime Minister said: “I was greatly saddened by the sudden death of Ashok Kumar. Ashok was a hardworking constituency MP who took pride in representing the people of Middlesbrough as both a councillor and MP since 1987.

“He was a tenacious campaigner for his constituents and a warm and incredibly generous man.”