5 held for IOC officer’s attack

The Lakhimpur Kheri police claim that the oil mafia was not behind the attack on Indian Oil Corporation sales officer Brijendra Vikram Singh, and that he was stabbed at his rented apartment on Saturday night for a "personal reason".

Dinesh Kumar Singh, circle officer, Lakhimpur Kheri told HT, "There was a bite-mark on his face, besides a minor stab wound on his left arm. One thing is clear-- Singh was not attacked for professional reasons like his predecessor Manjunath Shanmugham in 2005. Prima facie, the motive appears to be personal."

The police have detained five persons in connection with the case.

Lakhimpur SP N. Ravindra has decided to get the sketches of Singh's attackers prepared. The sketches are being made on the basis of the descriptions provided by Singh and his maid Rita. Singh was alone with his maid when the assailants barged inside his house.

That the maid might hold a clue to the attack on Singh was apparent from the rather "carefree" manner in which she allegedly spoke to the police about the attack. A policeman said, "The bite-mark on Singh's face leads to suspicion. If someone is armed with firearms and a knife, why would he bite him on the face?"