Anurag Tewari murder: Slain IAS officer was Bidar's water saviour

IAS officer Anurag Tewari was found dead under mysterious circumstances, kicking off a storm of allegations Even as his death becomes a political game, the residents of the district he was responsible for have fond memories of him

The untimely death of IAS officer Anurag Tewari has shocked many. While his fellow cadres remember him as an honest and dutiful IAS officer, the farmers of Bidar district in Karnataka remember him as their 'waterman', who worked hard to eliminate the water crisis in the district. 

Tewari initiated the rejuvenation process of Karez or Surang Bavi, which is an underground aqueduct from the medieval era. He also managed to clean and dredge over 130 tanks and 110 open wells across the district in a span of few months. 

He also initiated a desilting process of 120 minor and major percolation tanks in the district to recharge the groundwater. During this process, fertile soil was taken from lake beds and given to farmers for free. This initiative was even applauded by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and the government had also launched a similar scheme called 'Kere Sanjeevini' in various parts of the state. 

Meanwhile, the mystery behind his death has yet not been closed. The injury on his chin is still being probed, but police say that he died of asphyxiation. However, his family believes otherwise.  Anurag’s father BN Tewari told Bangalore Mirror,  "My son was very honest. Corrupt officers did not like him. They must have somehow got him murdered."

The dead body of Anurag Tewari was found on a road in Lucknow's Hazratganj. The investigation into his death is ongoing.