“She immediately called up Dr G S Bhogal, their family doctor who stays two houses away. He arrived and tried to revive Yogi. When he did not gain consciousness, the family called the police at 7.30 am,” said a senior officer.

Inderpuri ward councillor Suraj Kumar said: “Yogi was lying on a mattress spread on the floor. The doctor was performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when I walked in.”

According to Delhi Police’s Public Relations Officer Rajan Bhagat, initial investigations suggest that it is a case of suicide. Yogi’s body was taken to the Safdarjung Hospital, where a postmortem was conducted. The report is awaited. His body was later handed back to the family.

At the Yogi household in EF-5-R, Inderpuri, his family insists that it is a case of heart failure. His daughter Anu said he had suffered an attack earlier.

“It is a bit premature for the police to say it is a case of suicide. It is still being investigated. I don’t want to say anything else,” said Rajiv Yogi, his son.

BJP workers assembled at his house as soon as the news of his death spread. They, too, said Yogi could not commit suicide. Delhi BJP chief Dr Harsh Vardhan said: “There was no reason for him to commit suicide. He had no family problems and no financial constraints.”

On the condition of anonymity, one of his neighbours said Yogi was under a lot of mental stress because of the elections. “I am a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. Yogi came to our meetings every day earlier, but he had not been attending them for the last four days. He knew he would win the polls but he was under a lot of stress because of the campaigning.”

... contd.