Murdered? Dead Karnataka IAS officer was about to expose a Rs 2000-crore scam

There seems to be more to the mysterious death of Anurag Tiwari, Commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies, who was found dead at Hazratganj in Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday.

Early reports had claimed that he died of heart attack. But the post mortem reports say that Anurag died of asphyxiation but did not specify the exact cause of death. Besides, the report also makes note of at least six injury marks on his body, blood mark on his nose and cut lips which gives rise to suspicion. 

His parents and kin have cried foul play and believe that Anurag could have been a victim of 'power politics'. Quoting his brother Mayank, The New Indian Express reported that "Anurag was in the process of exposing a scam worth Rs 2,000 crore in Karnataka." He did not forget to mention the fact that how honest and efficient IAS officers were being targeted in a selective manner in the state and his brother could have been the victim of the same vicious circle, reports TNIE. Tiwari's siblings are now contemplating to file a police complaint.

It is also alleged that Tiwari was harassed by his seniors in the department and he was thinking to shift his cadre from Karnataka. "He had applied for 15 days leave but it was turned down by Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia," reports The Times of India. The paper also quoted his brother that Anurag "concerned over the working style in Bengaluru was planning to change his cadre from the state." 

Meanwhile, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje has shot out a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking a thorough probe into his death claiming that "It is incomprehensible to think that an IAS officer could be found dead by a road side." Suspecting that there could be more to just dismiss his death as "natural", Shobha Karandlaje wondered even before a probe was conducted into his death, the media was quick enough to cite his alleged personal reason for his death. Tiwari had a strained relation with his wife and he got separated from her this year, it is said.  

Shocked to know Anurag Tiwari,IAS found dead under "suspicious circumstances" In Lucknow.Req @myogiadityanath to kindly look into the matter pic.twitter.com/mgLOgGLEkH

— Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) May 17, 2017

Brushing aside the theory that Tiwari had gone out for a morning walk - as reported earlier - his family said Anurag was never in the habit of taking a stroll in the morning. Instead, he was a bookworm who read till late into night, reports The Times of India. 

The State government has sent two IAS officers - Pankaj Kumar Pandey and Abhiram Shankar - to Lucknow to know the exact cause of death. 

Tiwari, a 2007 batch IAS officer, was in Lucknow after completing his training in Mussoorie. He was staying in a guest along with his batchmate before being found dead by a road side. The officer is hailed as an efficient and honest by his colleagues who has always set trend for others in taking up innovative development works wherever he had served. Tiwari is credited with reviving dead lakes in Bidar and launching the generic medicine that has now been implemented in the state.

• ias officer anurag tiwari
• anurag tiwari