PMO Seeks Report in Murder Case of Two Hindustan Petroleum Officers; SIT to Probe All Angles

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has sought a detailed report on the double murder of two officers of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. Acting on directions from the state government, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will examine every aspect of the incident.

The PMO has asked the Uttar Pradesh government for a comprehensive report on the case. The SIT will investigate several critical questions, including the role of the police and the factory management on the day of the incident.

Investigators will also examine why strict action was not taken earlier against the accused, Ajay Pratap Singh, despite alleged threats for the past six months. Questions are also being raised about why security was not provided even after Deputy General Manager Sudhir Gupta had expressed concerns about possible danger.

The Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant, costing ₹130 crore, was inaugurated in January 2024 at Saijni village. The plant, operating under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

On Thursday, Deputy General Manager Sudhir Gupta and Assistant Chief Manager Harshit Mishra of Hindustan Petroleum were shot dead at the plant. The accused, Ajay Pratap Singh, had reportedly been removed from his job earlier and his contract for supplying crop residue (parali) had also been cancelled after he allegedly created disturbances.

Later the same day, Ajay Pratap surrendered at the police station. However, the double murder at a central government project quickly drew national attention and the matter reached New Delhi.

On Saturday, the PMO sought a detailed report from the state government. It asked for a complete account of the incident, the criminal history of the accused, and information about district officials, including the inspector posted at the police station, the sub-inspectors involved, the SP City, Circle Officer (CO), and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

According to an official, an initial report on the action taken has already been sent to the PMO through the state government. On Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath constituted an SIT under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner Bhupendra S. Chaudhary. The SIT will visit the crime scene on Monday and record statements from the families of Sudhir Gupta and Harshit Mishra.

A detailed report will be prepared to identify lapses that led to the incident. Following the incident, the then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr. Brijesh Singh and Circle Officer Dr. Devendra Kumar were transferred to Lucknow. The then in-charge of Moosajhag police station, Ajay Kumar, and sub-inspector Dharmendra have been suspended for negligence.

Security Lapses Surface

Ajay Pratap and his two brothers had initially been given jobs at the plant through a contracting company. However, he allegedly began behaving aggressively. About six months ago, Deputy General Manager Sudhir Gupta had him dismissed from his job and barred him from entering the premises.

Despite this, Ajay reportedly continued to enter the plant forcibly and misbehave. Security guards were often too intimidated to stop him.

On the day of the incident as well, guards reportedly did not stop him at the gate. Police have conducted extensive questioning of the guards posted at the gate, which revealed several important details.

CCTV cameras installed in the area where the shooting took place captured significant parts of the incident.

According to reports, Ajay Pratap entered the conference hall and began abusing the officers before pulling out a pistol. One officer reportedly threw a chair at him in response, which enraged him. Amid the confrontation, everyone moved outside, where Ajay fired four shots. Three of the bullets struck the two officers, killing them.