Sonawane's murder: 80,000 officers on strike

"We have not announced the protest as a strike but we are shunning work to register our protest against this gruesome act which has shaken the government employees," said Ravindra Dhongade, president of the Maharashtra Gazetted Officers Mahasangh.

The Shiv Sena has also called for a bandh in Manmad in Nashik district to protest Sonawane's killing, where Sonawane was burnt to death on Friday by the oil mafia.

"We have asked our colleagues to shun work. We are organising morchas and rallies to protest the killing. Our colleagues will meet district collector and regional commissioners and submit a memorandum against the incident," he said. "At Mantralaya, government employees will hold a protest meeting."

Dhongade said the officers are shaken by the murder and lower-level officers would also join the protest. "Protest marches will be taken out across the state. Employees will join immediately after registering their attendance," he said.

The Mahasangh is a representative body of gazetted officers in the state.

"We met Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday. He has assured us that a thorough probe will be conducted into the incident," he said, adding that attacks against state government employees will not be tolerated.