Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 20 (ANI): The family members and employees of the late Engineer GM of HPPCL, who died under suspicious circumstances in Himachal Pradesh, have called off their protest and reopened the road after the police registered an FIR against HPPCL Managing Director Hrikesh Meena and Director Deshraj.

Meanwhile, Director Deshraj has already been suspended. The body of the deceased Engineer, Vimal Negi is being taken to his Village for the last riots in Kinnaur, as per the Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi.

Earlier, Negi's family members, relatives, and HPPCL employees gathered in large numbers, demanding justice and immediate action against senior officials allegedly responsible for the undue pressure that led to his untimely death.

The protest was for the suspension of HPPCL's Managing Director Hrikesh Meena and Director Deshraj while urging the authorities to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The agitation continued for over eight hours, with demonstrators blocking the main road leading to New Shimla.

Amid the mounting tension, former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition, reached the protest site along with the entire BJP legislative team to meet Negi's grieving family.

Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, Thakur said, 'I came here to meet the family members. This is very tragic. He was an honest officer, an honest engineer. His colleagues say this, and his family says the same. But what expectations did the government have from him? What work were they trying to get done by pressuring him continuously? This pressure had been building up for a long time, and today, we have his dead body before us.'

The family, devastated by Negi's sudden demise, strongly suspects foul play.

Thakur reiterated their demand for accountability, stating, 'It is necessary to know whether this is a murder or suicide. The family has indicated the names of three specific officers. Action should be taken against them. But so far, only their transfers have been discussed. A man has lost his life! The family and the public are demanding their suspension, and they are saying they will not move from here until action is taken.'

He further added that he had urged the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) Shimla to convey the family's emotions to the government and Chief Minister.

Thakur also said that this issue had been raised in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly for the past three days.

He criticised the government's handling of the case. 'Even when the Chief Minister gave his statement in the Assembly, the concerns we raised have proven to be true. What the family is saying today aligns with the doubts we had expressed earlier. They are demanding a CBI investigation, and we fully support this demand. The investigation must be fair and transparent.' Jairam Thakur further said.

The former CM further assured that the BJP would continue to press for justice in the Assembly and also take the matter to the Governor. He urged the family to provide a written request for a CBI probe, promising that he would escalate the demand to the central government. (ANI)