Lucknow: An IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, Anurag Tiwari, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Lucknow on Wednesday morning, which also happened to be his birthday.
The body of the 35-year-old officer was found in Hazratganj in Lucknow near a government guest house. There were injuries on his chin and the police suspect that these wounds were caused when the officer collapsed.
Tiwari was posted as the commissioner of the food civil supplies and consumer affairs department in Bengaluru.
IG Lucknow range, J.N. Singh said preliminary examination suggested that Tiwari died due to a heart attack. He said a team of forensic experts from State Forensic Science Laboratory will examine the officer’s body and that the exact cause of his death could be ascertained after a post-mortem examination.
However, the post mortem report that came later on Wednesday evening has failed to ascertain the exact cause of death. The panel of five doctors that conducted the post mortem, have preserved the viscera. Meanwhile, Mr B.N. Tiwari, father, and Alok, brother, of the deceased officer told reporters that they suspect foul play in the death of Anurag because he had exposed corruption in Karnataka and was also the target of some corrupt officials.
Some of his batchmates said Tiwari was undergoing depression after he separated from his wife a few months ago.
The deceased officer had been staying at the Meera Bai Guest House in Hazratganj for the last two days with his batchmate Prabhu Narain Singh.
The two officers had come to Lucknow after attending a mid-career training programme. The IG said Tiwari was found dead 10 metres from the entrance of the guest house in his nightwear. He said the Singh and Tiwari had dinner together on Tuesday.
Tiwari went for a walk at around 6 a.m while Singh went to play badminton at the BBD Badminton Academy in Gomti Nagar.
He said the UP100, an emergency response centre, received a call at around 6.40 am about a dead body lying outside the guest house. Tiwari was identified from an ID card recovered from his belongings.
Officials claimed that a cardiac arrest may have led to his death. Detailed autopsy reports are, however, awaited.
