Drama before funeral of prime accused in Sonawane murder

Nashik, Feb 1 (PTI) Popat Shinde, prime accused in themurder of Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane, wastoday creamated by his family members amidst high drama inManmad near here.

The body of Shinde, who succumbed at a state-run hospitalin Mumbai while undergoing treatment for burn injuries, washanded over to Nashik police by the hospital after post-mortemas his daughter Jaya and son Sagar refused to take possessiondemanding a CBI probe into Sonawane''s murder.

However, Shinde''s uncle claimed the body and brought itto his native place Manmad this evening, they said.

"Jaya, Sagar and other close relatives of Shinde refusedto take the dead body inside their residence until police gavea written assurance that a CBI inquiry would be conducted intothe muder of Sonawane''s and an inquiry of Sonawane''s propertywould also be done," police said.

Police then brought four accused arrested in connectionwith the case - Shinde''s son Vikas, brother-in-law DeepakBorse, Raju Shirsat and Kacharu Surudkar, who had a discussionwith Shinde''s family members and relatives, who then agreedfor the funeral, they added.

Elaborate security arrangements were made on the occasionas a precautionary measure, police said.