Shimla, Mar 19 (UNI) The state government has ordered a high-level probe to know the circumstances surrounding to the mysterious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) General Manager Vimal Negi as the officer of ACS would conduct the inquiry and persons found responsible for the crime would not be spared.

Giving a suo-moto statement on the incident, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also holds the portfolio of Home, said that Negi was missing since March 10 and his body was recovered from the Govinder Sagar lake under Shatali police station in Bilaspur on March 18.

He was identified from the money wallet found with Negi's body which was sent for the postmortem, he stated and informed that recently the wife of the deceased officer also met him and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi seeking assistance to trace the missing officer.

He said that he had immediately called the Director General of Police of the state and a joint manhunt was being launched by the police, officials of Power Corporation and family members of the deceased.

'The government is deeply shocked with the demise of honest and hardworking officer and a high-level probe by the state officer of the rank of the Additional Chief Secretary was ordered to reveal the truth, as the matter is of grave importance for the functioning of the corporation.

The Chief Minister also said that the state government would remember the services rendered by Negi and his death is very unfortunate.

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakar drew the attention of the state government to a letter written by the employees of HPPCL about a similar working environment in the Corporation, which led to this tragic death.

'The circumstances surrounding his demise, raise serious concerns about potential mismanagement under pressure as alleged by the wife of Vimal Negi. We all have been growing through such pressure in the last two years,' Thakur said quoting the letter in the house.

UNI ML SS