Maharashtra official found dead in Lucknow hotel

A 52-year-old Maharashtra government official was  found dead Friday in his hotel room in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow, police said.

The official, identified as Vijay Pamoji Jadhav, was a scientist and in-charge of the State Resources Centre in Aurangabad.

He was part of a delegation from Maharashtra which is in the city for a two-day literacy convention to be inaugurated by Vice President Dr Hamid Ansari Saturday.

Prima facie, police said, the death appeared to have been caused by a heart attack. Jadhav was sharing room number 410 at Mera Mann Hotel with P.C. Udavant, who is a consultant.

Udavant told police officials that they had dinner at the hotel the previous night before going to sleep.

Early Friday, when Jadhav did not respond to the the repeated calls, the room-mate alerted the hotel management, which in turn informed police.

The body has been sent for autopsy and the family of the official has been informed, police said.