Click to play videoNew Delhi: Two-years after the death of Indian Oil Corporation officer Manjunath Shanmugam, a young sales officer who replaced him, has been stabbed at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.
Police say four attackers forcibly entered 28-year-old Brijendra Singh's house and stabbed him. Singh was then rushed to a nearby hospital. His condition is now stable. Police suspect the involvement of local petrol dealers in the attack.
In November 2005, IIM Lucknow graduate Manjunath posted as a sales officer for IOC in Lakhimpur was also gunned down by a petrol pump owner after he detected some malpractices. Singh who was earlier posted at Saharanpur was transferred to Lakhimpur only nine months ago, to fill up the post fallen vacant after Manjunath's death.
“Dealers used to visit his house. We are investigating all the details. Its too early to say anything,“ said N Ravindra SP, Lakhimpur.
The attack lasted barely a few minutes and the miscreants suddenly retreated, leaving Singh bundled in a corner of the room.
Singh had replaced Manjunath Shanmugham, an Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM-L) graduate who was murdered on November 19, 2005, after he threatened to cancel the licence of Mittal Automobiles in Gola Gokaranath police circle of Lakhimpur for selling adulterated oil.
The pump owner, Monu Mittal, was given death sentence while seven more people were awarded life-term by the Lakhimpur district court on March 12, 2007.
Lakhimpur SP N Ravindra told TOI on Sunday that it was too early to jump to any conclusion on the motive behind the attack. ‘‘He suffered injuries and was admitted to a hospital.
He was, however, discharged after first-aid,’’ Ravindra said. According to the police, it was around 7:45 pm and Singh was at his rented accommodation at DC Road under Kotwali police station while his maid servant was preparing dinner.
Incharge of the Kotwali police station, BR Verma, said Singh suffered injury on his face and a cut on his left wrist. "It appears that one of the miscreant apparently bit him on his cheek while the cut injury on his left wrist suggests that it was caused by a sharp edged weapon," Verma said.
A native of Pilibhit, Singh was earlier posted at Saharanpur and transferred to Lakhimpur nine months ago to fill up the post fallen vacant after the murder of Manjunath. The post remained vacant till December 2006.
With inputs from agencies
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