The family members and colleagues of late Engineer GM Vimal Negi of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), who died under suspicious circumstances, have called off their protest after an FIR was registered against HPPCL Managing Director Hrikesh Meena and Director Deshraj.
Meanwhile, Director Deshraj has been suspended. Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi confirmed that Vimal Negi’s body is being taken to his village in Kinnaur for the last rites.
Protest Over Negi’s Death
Earlier, Negi’s family, relatives, and HPPCL employees gathered in large numbers, blocking the main road leading to New Shimla for over eight hours, demanding justice and accountability.
The protestors sought:
✅ Suspension of HPPCL MD Hrikesh Meena and Director Deshraj
✅ A CBI investigation into Negi’s death
Jairam Thakur Supports Family’s Demand
Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur visited the protest site along with BJP legislators, expressing deep sorrow over the incident.
“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.”
Thakur emphasized that the family suspects foul play and called for a fair probe into whether Negi’s death was murder or suicide.
“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.”
BJP Pushes for CBI Investigation
Thakur criticized the state government’s handling of the case, stating that the family’s suspicions align with concerns raised in the Assembly over the past three days.
“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.”
He assured that the BJP would continue pressing for justice in the Assembly and would take the matter to the Governor. He urged the family to submit a written request for a CBI probe, promising to escalate the demand to the central government.
The case remains under investigation, with public pressure mounting for a transparent inquiry into Negi’s untimely demise.