Unionist beaten up at BSNL, dies

A 55-year-old BSNL phone mechanic died under mysterious circumstances on Monday minutes after an alleged quarrel in his general manager’s office. His family has accused the GM and his staff of “murder”. HT reports.

A 55-year-old BSNL phone mechanic died under mysterious circumstances on Monday minutes after an alleged quarrel in his general manager’s office. His family has accused the GM and his staff of “murder”.

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Initial police probe found that Sukendra Singh, a district secretary of the BSNL employees’ union, after an argument with GM Adesh Kumar Gupta ran out of the third-floor office. Some security guards nabbed him and hit him with sticks.

“He sat on the stairs, holding his head and then rushed downstairs and collapsed. The injuries from sticks couldn’t have been fatal,” SP Shiv Shanker Yadav said.

"He probably had a fall or a heart stroke," the SP said, adding post mortem report would establish the cause of death. Singh was rushed to Yashoda Hospital but was declared brought dead, the SP said.

Singh's family, however, alleged that Gupta and some BSNL employees beat him up in the office and threw him down the stairs.

Singh had assaulted an assistant general manager some months ago and was charge-sheeted last week, Gupta said. He was given the chargesheet on Monday.

"He seemed very angry. He manhandled me and ran out. I stayed in my office and do not know what followed," Gupta told HT.