4TH LD ENGINEER

Ved Prakash Arya

Auraiya (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 24 (PTI) A senior engineer
of the UP Public Works department (PWD) was beaten to death in
the middle of night allegedly by a ruling Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP) MLA and his supporters here after he is believed to have
refused to pay them a "huge sum" for birthday celebrations of
Chief Minister Mayawati.

Following an uproar over the murder of M K Gupta,
executive engineer, which resulted in severe condemnation by
political parties and a strike by PWD engineers throughout the
state, the MLA Shekhar Tiwari, who has criminal antecedents,
was arrested late in the evening in Rania, Superintendent of
Police Kanpur (Rural) N Ravinder said.

The Mayawati government sought to distance herself from
the episode when Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh told
a press conference that the Chief Minister has nothing to do
with the case. In fact, he said whenever cases of
misdemeanour against party leaders came up she has acted
against them, he added.

Tiwari and his two associate and his two
associates--Manoj Tyagi and Bhatia-- forcibly entered the
house of engineer M K Gupta at Gail Vihar colony in Diviapur
police circle here Tuesday night and started beating him
severely, according to a report lodged with the police by his
wife Shashi Gupta.

A case under various sections of Indian Penal Code
(IPC) relating to murder, wrongful confinement and causing
bodily hurt has been registered against Tiwari, and two
others. Provisions of the Gangsters Act would also be invoked
against them, Singh said.

The engineer's wife said the attackers, claiming to be
from the CID, came and broke open the door to enter the house.
She was locked inside the bathroom after which her husband was
beaten up.

"The entry and exit of the MLA was recorded at the gate
of the colony between 3 a.m. and 3.30 a.m. The MLA later left
Gupta at Diviapur police station in an unconscious state at
around 5 am", Director General of Police, Vikram Singh told
reporters adding that strict action would be initiated against
the guilty.

The MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) had allegedly
demanded Rs 50 lakh from the engineer for the chief minister's
birthday celebrations next month and he is believed to have
expressed his inability to provide that.

After the beating, Gupta was taken to the local police
station by the MLA in his car and left there. From there he
was taken to hospital where he was declared dead.

The killing evoked instant condemnation from political
parties which attacked the Mayawati government and demanded
her resignation. They said Mayawati had come to power
promising "crime-free and fear-free" rule and her own party's
MLA was behind a murder of an official, they said.

Over 10,000 engineers of the PWD went on strike
immediately demanding action against the accused and safety
for them. A Q Farooqui, President of UP Engineers Association,
said if action was not not taken immediately other engineering
departments would also join the strike.

As allegations flew thick and fast, the government
attempted to do some damage control saying the chief minister
has nothing to do with the case.

"It is a criminal case and those found guilty will
not not be spared. Sternest action is being taken. An MLA
Shekhar Tiwari has also been named in the case and action
under various sections of IPC and Gangster Act was being
taken," Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said at a
hurriedly-convened press conference in Lucknow.

"A criminal incident should not not be given political
colour," Shekhar Singh said dismissing allegations of
extortion angle in the murder.

"Chief Minister Mayawati has nothing to do with the
case. It's a criminal case and those found guilty will not be
spared."

"It's upto you to decide (money demand for Mayawati's
birthday) to link this incident with any other theory. I will
not not say anything on this. Even the victim's family
members, who are making allegations, were not aware of the
incident till 11 am", he said.

He announced a compensation of Rs. five lakh to
Gupta's widow, a job for her in government and security to the
family.

DGP Vikram Singh said Tiwari has a lot of explaining
to do because he went to the house of Gupta and brought him to
the police station.

"There are a lot of things that need to be explained,"
Vikram Singh but dismissed allegations that demand for money
had any role in the murder.

"It seems to be far fetched. It is a matter for
investigation. Only when the accused are interrogated
something can be said on this," the DGP said.

Seeking to distance the Mayawati government from the
incident, Shekhar Singh said the chief minister had been tough
on her own party colleagues in cases of misdemeanour.

Without taking names, the Cabinet Secretary said that
earlier two ministers, a MP and an MLA were booked and were
still in jail when their names cropped in criminal cases.

Cabinet ministers Anand Sen Yadav and Jamuna Prasad
Nishad in Mayawati's cabinet were earlier dropped from the
ministry and arrested when their names came in criminal cases.

Mayawati had sacked party MP Umakant Yadav and MLA
Bhagwan Sharma alias Guddu Pundit for their involvement in
criminal activities.

The DGP said that the government was ready to probe the
matter with any agency, if desired by the family members.

Asked about the decision of PWD engineers to go on
strike to protest against the murder, the Cabinet Secretary
said all their genuine demands would be met and their
apprehensions taken care of.

Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party president Shivpal Singh
Yadav said Mayawati had given a target to party ministers,
MLAs and MPs to collect Rs 1000 crores for her birthday on
January 15 while Congress spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi also
made similar charges.

Yadav said that there was no law and order in the state
as BSP supremo was busy "collecting money through corrupt
practices". PTI Corr
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