India\'s shame: Official set on fire by oil mafia

Mumbai:

Six people arrested for killing a government officer by setting him on fire in Manmad in Maharashtra were produced in court today and sent to police custody. In all, eight people have been accused in the case; one is missing; one is in hospital with serious burn injuries.

Yashwant Sonawane, Additional District Collector, was on an official tour of Manmad, home to many oil depots, when he tried to stop a group of men from stealing kerosene from a tanker. They retaliated by pouring kerosene over him, and then setting him on fire. Mr Sonawane died within minutes. One of his attackers- Popat Shinde - also suffered serious burns and is now in hospital.

The murder - which took place in broad daylight and with apparently no fear of reprisal - has shocked the country, and exposed the might of the oil mafia in this region.

We have ordered very strict action against wherever such activities are taking place in the state...we are going to the root of this incident...who is behind it. The main accused is being interrogated in hospital,\" said Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. He added that while all officers \"have standing orders not to conduct raids unless they are accompanied by police officers,\" Mr Sonawane was not conducting a raid when he was killed. \"The collector was on another duty and acted as a good officer,\" said the chief minister.

In court today, the public prosecutor said that Mr Sonawane was trying to photograph the pilferage of an oil tanker when he was stopped by the eight men accused of killing him. He added that the involvement of important people in the killing could not be ruled out.

The driver of the tanker ran away while the Additional Collector was being set on fire. The police has to track him down to uncover more details
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