UNI

Jabalpur, Sep 16: A 20-year-old junior cine artiste, who was part of the runaway hit 'Kajra re Kajra re...', has died during a stageshow in Switzerland. Narayan Jharia alias Edwin's worked for Vaidehi Merchant Dance Group in Mumbai and hailed from this cantonment town.

His mother Bitthanbai said, ''My son shifted to Mumbai about a decade back to work in the tinseltown. However, he did not get a job there and began working for the dance Group. Edwin visited home once or twice annually.'' On September four, Edwin had told his family over the telephone that he was part of a 34-member stageshow group that was leaving for a six-month Switzerland tour that night.

Four days later a person called from Mumbai and said Edwin had died in Switzerland after complaining of stomachache during a stageshow.

The artiste's shocked father Chamanlal and brother Raju attempted in vain to contact the Vaidehi Group's directors Vaidehi Merchant and Pranav Merchant over the telephone. Three days back, Raju and his friends left for Mumbai to gather details. They were told that the body would be sent to Mumbai in a couple of days.

''Our family lodged a complaint yesterday at the Ranjhi Police Station here and met Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Ishwardas Rohani (who represents Jabalpur Cantonment),'' Ms Bitthanbai added.