Another Uttar Pradesh engineer threatened over money

Lucknow, Dec 30 (IANS) A government engineer in Uttar Pradesh has alleged that he was attacked by a contractor and his associates in Basti district and that they demanded money from him, police said Tuesday, less than a week after another government engineer was killed over the same issue in the state.

H.N. Singh, an engineer in the irrigation department, alleged that contractor Bhanu Pratap Mishra and four of his aides attacked his house Monday night and demanded money.

Singh's neighbours raised an alarm and Mishra fled the scene.

'Singh has not received any injuries, but we recovered Mishra's jeep and a rifle from the spot,' Additional Superintendent of Police A.S. Rai told IANS over telephone.

A complaint has been registered against Mishra and four unidentified people. All of them are absconding, he added.

The police is also trying to ascertain if Mishra has links to any political party.

M.K. Gupta, an engineer with the Public Works Department (PWD), was allegedly killed by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator Shekhar Tiwari and his associates in Auraiya district Dec 24 after he refused to pay an extortion demand for the birthday celebrations of Chief Minister Mayawati.

The state administration, however, maintained that the incident had no connection with Mayawati. Tiwari has been arrested for his alleged role in the murder.