'Slain Maruti official had offered to quit'

Gurgaon, July 23 (IANS) Maruti human resource manager Awanish Kumar Dev, killed in violence at its Manesar plant in Haryana last week, had offered to quit six months back, said a official Monday.

"He may have foreseen the trouble ahead and that is why he resigned six months ago to join some other company but Maruti brass made him stay. During the last workers' strike in September-October 2011 he had played an important role in resolving the issue," said a company official, who did not wish to be named.

"After that strike, two senior officers of assistant general manager (AGM) rank had resigned. Their resignations were accepted by the management. At the same time, Dev had also submitted his resignation but it was rejected by the brass," he added.

"Dev then was one of the main official to register the present workers' union," the official said.

Dev's brother Avinash, who owns a pharmacy in Ranchi, told one of the police officials investigating the case that he had resigned.

"My brother paid a price for trying to maintain cordial industrial relations at the plant," he told police.

Police arrested 91 people involved in the violence and sent them to jail, while 55 main accused, including union leaders and members, are still on the run.