Lucknow/Mysuru: The Lucknow Police have recovered the dead body of IAS officer Anurag Tiwari under mysterious circumstances this morning. The body of 36-year-old Tiwari, a 2007 batch officer from Karnataka cadre, was found on a roadside near the Government Guest House in Hazratganj on Meerabai Marg.

Tiwari is a native of UP’s Bahraich district and had joined the Food and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department in Bengaluru as Commissioner in January this year. Incidentally, today was his birthday.

Following the death, the Ration Guarantee meeting that was supposed to be held at the DC Office in Mysuru today was postponed after the participants paid homage to the departed soul.

Anurag Tiwari had earlier served as Bidar DC, Assistant Commissioner of Madhugiri, Kodagu DC (15.8.2013 to 22.6.2015) and Deputy Secretary (Finance) in Bengaluru.

Tiwari was staying in the guest house for the past two days and the Police said some people called them about a body lying by the road. The officer was identified by his identity card.

After joining the Food and Civil Supplies department, Tiwari was posted to Punjab as an Election Observer for the State polls and he returned to Bengaluru and worked for a month before he was sent to Mussoorie for a month’s training. After that he applied for leave, which was reportedly not sanctioned.

“Anurag Tiwari and his batch mate Prabhu Narain Singh were staying in a room at the guest house. Prabhu told us that Anurag was not on his bed when he left the room to play badminton this morning. Prabhu then locked the room and handed over the key to the reception,” said the Station House Officer.

Police have, prima facie, ruled out the possibility of any criminal activity behind the death. Except for an injury on his chin, there is no other injury on any other part of the body, the Police said. The body has been sent for a post-mortem and its report is still awaited.