Lucknow: The family of 22-year-old innovator Rahul Singh, who was found dead in a Gomti Nagar hotel, has alleged that he had been receiving death threats over a Rs 62-lakh drone project. They have appealed to PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath for justice.Rahul’s younger brother Rohit alleged that a Noida-based man had been threatening his brother after a dispute over the project. According to the family, there was dispute between Rahul and a Noida based man over the ownership rights of a drone project and also relating to the amount.“Rahul was repeatedly being threatened after the project was cancelled. We want a fair investigation and justice,” Rohit said.Police said an FIR of cheating was registered against Rahul by Noida based man in Basti district which is being examined as a part of the investigation.Rahul was found dead on Tuesday in a room at a prominent hotel in Vibhuti Khand after staff alerted police when he failed to check out and did not respond to repeated knocks. Police broke open the door and found him dead on the bed.Investigators found vomit on and around the bed, prompting inquiries into possibilities such as food poisoning or a cardiac event.SHO, Vibhuti Khand, Upendra Singh, said the cause of death could not be ascertained by the postmortem following which viscera has been preserved and other organs of the body were sent for histopathological examination. Black spots were found in blood of Rahul for which forensic experts were sought their opinion.A resident of UP’s Maharajganj district, Rahul had checked into the hotel on Monday afternoon. Family members said they were informed about his death around noon the next day. The tragedy came just days after Rahul celebrated his 22nd birthday.Family members recalled him as a hardworking and caring young man deeply committed to both his research and family.Widely recognised as a promising innovator, Rahul earned national fame for developing a battery-powered eco-friendly tractor while still in school. He later joined the Design Innovator and Incubation Centre at MMMUT, Gorakhpur, where he pursued research in drones and sustainable technology.From the age of 13, he won top honours at the India International Science Festival for three consecutive years with innovations including a roti-making machine, a battery-powered bicycle and an eco-friendly tractor. He was also known for his contributions to drone technology and had interacted with leading scientists and dignitaries, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel.
