Veteran Ghazal singer Vithal Rao passes away

Veteran Ghazal singer D Vithal Rao, who went missing since May 29 from Shirdi, passed away at Gandhi Hospital late on Thursday night. He was 86. He had the distinction of being the last court singer of the seventh Nizam. According to sources, he was brought to Gandhi Hospital as an unidentified patient in a critical condition on Wednesday and he breathed his last late on Thursday. He was found by the police at the Begumpet railway station on Wednesday.

Veteran Ghazal singer D Vithal Rao was shifted to Gandhi Hospital. However, the reason behind his death is yet to be ascertained. It is said that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s. Doctors of Gandhi Hospital who conducted an autopsy said that they had no idea that the body was that of Vithal Rao.

"We conducted the post mortem of an unknown body. Later, we had sent the body to the mortuary. On Friday, the police and relatives managed to identify the body and informed us that it was ghazal singer Vithal Rao. Embalming was done to prevent the body getting decomposed, “the doctors said.

Soon after the news that Vithal Rao had gone missing, a manhunt was launched. It is still a mystery as to how he reached Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday mourned the death of Vithal Rao. He extended heartfelt sympathies to the members of the bereaved family. It is reported that his last rites would be performed on Saturday. His family members feel that the last rites should be performed with State honours.