Dev’s family demands CBI inquiry

Two days after the gruesome murder of the Maruti General Manager (HR) in Manesar, his family has demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. The senior company employee, Awnish Kumar Dev, was beaten up, strangulated to death and then burnt, as confirmed by the post-mortem report on Friday. 

His wife Superna Prasad has now put forth the demand for CBI inquiry in front of the Haryana government and the Workers’ Association has also joined their hands with the family.

Superna, at present,  works with the Ministry of Defence. While talking to Millennium Post, she said she is planning to send an official letter to the Haryana Government to take her demand seriously. ‘My husband’s death was a planned murder. He served  the company well. He deserves justice,’ she added.

Sources in police said the Intelligence Bureau (IB) might be  investigating the episode as well.  

Meanwhile, there were no signs that the work will be resumed at the Maruti Manesar plant anytime soon, and great financial loss is being speculated.

‘Final decision to re-start or shift the plant will be taken by Shinzo Nakanishi, Maruti’s Managing Director. The decision will probably be made after 25 July, as Nakanishi has gone to the headquarters of Suzuki Motors in Hamamatsu, Japan,’ said one of the managers of Maruti, requesting anonymity.

Even as the top officials did not confirm anything, rumours regarding the possibility of shutting down of the plant were doing rounds, spreading panic among the locals. Many expressed concern that the shutting down of the plant will affect the employment of  hundreds.

‘Many small and large private industries function near the Manesar plant. A huge number of people residing in Manesar  are employed and dependent on the plant for their daily bread. If the plant shuts down, we all will come on the road,’ said Vinod Kumar, Sarpanch of Khow village in Manesar.

Meanwhile, the after two days of the deadly riot, no steps were taken to repair the damaged plant.   PC Meena, District Collector, Gurgaon, said, ‘More than a dozen villagers came forward to provide assistance assurance to the Gurgaon police.’

More than what meets the eye?

Sarpanchs of six villages around Maruti Suzuki’s plant here, meanwhile, alleged that the incident of violence within the company premises was part of a big conspiracy to shift the unit out.

‘The incident of fire and killing of a senior executive by workers is a part of a larger conspiracy to shift the plant from here. Gurgaon gives maximum revenue to the state and some people might be envious of this and might be behind the incident,’ said a joint statement by Sarpanchs of Khow, Rampura, Shikopur, Manesar, Bas Fusla and Kakrola villages.

Demanding a high-level probe into the incident, the Sarpanchs said,  ‘There have been a number of disputes between the management and workers in different industries in the region, but no such criminal act was committed in the history of Gurgaon.’

Fearing heavy losses if plant is shifted out of Manesar, Sarpanchs said, ‘It will be catastrophic to the region, particularly for villages of Kho, Rampura.