Engineer killed for not 'funding' Maya's b'day party

An executive engineer of Public Works Department (PWD) was allegedly beaten to death by some unidentified persons, believed to be supporters of the local BSP MLA here, about 100 kms from Kanpur.

Uttar Pradesh Engineers Association has gone on an indefinite strike to protest the incident.

According to a report lodged with the police by Shashi Gupta, wife of deceased M K Gupta, two unidentified men entered their house in Gail Vihar in Dibiyapur forcibly yesterday night and started beating her husband badly.

They locked Shashi in a bathroom and continued beating the engineer, injuring him seriously, the report said.

Later, local BSP MLA Shekhar Tiwari allegedly reached the spot and left the seriously injured engineer at a nearby police station, from where he was rushed to the hospital, the wife said, adding that he was declared dead at the hospital.

ADGP (Law and Order) Brij Lal said in Lucknow that police were looking for Tiwari who is absconding. The role of Tiwari is under the scanner, according to police.

Tiwari is believed to have demanded a huge amount of money in connection with the birthday celebration of party leader Mayawati from the engineer, who is understood to have turned down the demand.

According to Shashi, the two unidentified men were addressing each others as Tyagi and Bhatia, police said.

"We have registered an FIR in this connection and probing the entire matter", Additional Superintendent of Police, Sureshwar Mishra said.

While the motive of the crime is being ascertained, police is not ruling out the possibility of the extortion angle being behind it. Mawayati's birthday falls next month.

When asked about it, Mishra said that it was matter of investigation.

Senior police officers including the IG and the DIG have rushed to the spot.