Senior Maharashtra govt official burnt to death by oil mafia

MUMBAI: The additional district collector of Malegaon, Yeshwant Sonawane, was on Tuesday burnt to death by the petrol and diesel adulteration mafia when he went to conduct a raid, police said.

He had gone to Panewadi locality in Manmad in Maharashtra's Nashik district for the raid when he was set on fire, police said.

Yashwant Sonawane was accompanied by his personal assistant and driver when the shocking incident took place at a roadside Dhaba near Manmad town, about 260 km from here.

"Preliminary reports say Sonawane had gone there to conduct a raid on petrol and diesel mafia. There some people, believed to be associated with the mafia, who set him on fire causing his death," Additional Director General (Law & Order) K P Rahuvanshi told PTI.

Another report said Sonawane had stopped at a roadside hotel on way to a certain place to oversee security arrangements for an event when he found people adulterating fuel.

Sonawane objected to it, leading to a scuffle during which he was set ablaze resulting in his death