Funeral of IAS officer killed by oil mafia held

The last rites of Yashwant Sonawane, the additional collector of Malegaon, who was burnt to death allegedly by the persons involved in fuel adulteration near Manmad, were conducted in Nashik overnight.

Several government officials were present at the funeral.

Meanwhile, Popat Shinde, the prime suspect who also suffered burn injuries in the gruesome incident, has been shifted to Nashik Civil Hospital.

According to the police, Sonawane (42) was returning from Chandrar village after reviewing

the situation there in the wake of a demonstration by onion farmers when he found some people adulterating kerosene in a tanker parked behind Sagar Dhaba at Panewadi.

Sonawane stopped and questioned them. He also called up police. This prompted Shinde and three others to pour kerosene on the official and set him afire. Sonawane died on the spot.

There are oil depots of Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum near Panewadi.

Popat Shinde has two earlier cases in connection with fuel adulteration registered against him.