LAKHIMPUR KHERI (UP): In a grim reminder of the Manjunath murder case, a young sales officer of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was on Sunday stabbed by unidentified persons, who forcibly entered into his house.

Police said four unidentified persons entered Brijendra Vikram Singh's (28) rented flat in Machlikothi area on Sunday evening and stabbed him, they said.

Singh was rushed to a near-by hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger.

Police has not ruled out involvement of some petrol dealer behind the attack.

In November 2005, S Manjunath, an Indian Institute of Management Lucknow alumni, posted as sales officer with IOC in Lakhimpur Kheri was gunned down by a petrol pump owner. Manjunath(28) met a violent end  after he detected some malpractices.

Pawan Kumar Mittal, the owner who was the prime accused, was given death sentence while seven others were given life sentences.