Sonawane killing main accused Shinde dies

Mumbai, Jan 31 (ANI): Popat Shinde, the main accused in the murder of Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane, died at a hospital here on Monday.

He was admitted to the hospital with serious burn injuries after Sonawane reportedly grabbed him during the attack.

Shinde was one of those, who poured kerosene over the Additional District Collector, when he tried to take photographs of kerosene being stolen from an oil tanker.

Earlier on January 26, six people were sent to police custody by a local court in Sonawane murder case.

In all, eight people are accused in the case.

Sonawane was burnt alive by the oil mafia on Tuesday at Manmad in Nasik District. He had gone there to conduct raids.

According to the police, a group of eleven men poured kerosene on him, and set him on fire. Sonawane tried to fight back by grabbing Popat Shinde, the ringleader of his attackers, but died within minutes.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has ordered an inquiry into the incident and asked that the ambit of the probe in the officer's murder be expanded to include the entire oil mafia nexus, and announced a compensation of Rs.25 lakh for the Sonawane family. (ANI)