LUCKNOW A 22-year-old drone innovator and young scientist, who had earned national recognition for developing a battery-powered eco-friendly tractor, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a hotel in Lucknow’s Vibhuti Khand area on Tuesday.
Police have launched an investigation and said the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the post-mortem examination. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Vibhuti Khand) Saumya Pandey said the deceased’s family had been informed and that further legal action would be taken based on the post-mortem findings.
According to police, the scientist checked into a prominent hotel at around 1.30 pm on Monday. When he failed to check out on Tuesday morning and did not respond despite repeated attempts by hotel staff, the hotel management informed the police.
A police team reached the hotel and broke open the room after receiving no response from inside. The young scientist was found lying unconscious on the bed. He was declared dead, following which forensic experts examined the room before the body was sent for post-mortem.
The deceased was a native of Bijapar Asman Chhapra village in Siswa Bazar, Maharajganj district, and was associated with the Design Innovation and Incubation Centre at Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology (MMMUT), Gorakhpur, where he was pursuing research while continuing his studies.
The young innovator had gained national attention for developing an eco-friendly battery-powered tractor and had also worked on drone technology as part of his innovation projects. He won top honours at the India International Science Festival for three consecutive years, beginning at the age of 13. His projects included a roti maker in 2018, a battery-powered eco-friendly bicycle in 2019, and the battery-operated tractor in 2020, which earned widespread appreciation.
Police said the cause of death remains unknown and that all angles are being examined.
