Shocked at Yashwant Sonawane killing: Jaipal Reddy
Newly-appointed Oil Minister Jaipal Reddy on Thursday said he is ?shocked? to hear about the killing of Malegaon additional district collector (ADC) Yashwant Sonawane.
?I am shocked to hear about Sonawane killing. He died a heroic death while performing duty,” Reddy told at a press conference here.
He also announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the ADC?s family.
Earlier the day, Reddy had called an emergency meeting to discuss a nationwide crackdown on oil mafia.
?We need to respond to oil pilfering in systemic terms urgently,? the Minister said.
“We will reintroduce marker system to stop oil adulteration. We will also ask state government to use GPS or the Global Positioning System to keep track of tankers. The ministry will help the states to put in place GPS for oil tankers,” he said.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, three more people were arrested in connection with burning alive of Sonawane, while six other accused were remanded in police custody till February 8.
Police nabbed main accused Popat Shinde?s son Kunal, tanker driver Imran Khan, and tanker cleaner Haqqani Khan from Shirdi.
Another accused Ajay Sonawane is still absconding.
Meanwhile, six other accused were produced at a local holiday court here, which sent them to the police custody.
Sonawane was burnt alive on Tuesday at Manmad, about 10kms from Malegaon, in Maharashtra?s Nashik district, by an oil mafia.
The ADC had stopped to check suspicious oil tankers on the road while returning from a neighbouring area when the oil black marketers, led by Shinde, attacked him and set him ablaze.
The main accused Popat Shinde is among those arrested.
Shinde also sustained burn injuries and is being treated at a hospital.
Others nabbed include Shinde’s brother-in-law Sitaram Balerao and aide Raju Shirsat. Kacharu Surode, Vikas Shinde, Dipak Borase and Tausif Shaikh Altaf Shaikh have also been apprehended.
Chief minister Prithiviraj Chavan, condemning the incident, ordered an inquiry.
?We will take prompt action to bring the guilty to justice,? Chavan said.
The state government Gazetted officers is holding a day-long strike on Thursday against Sonawane?s killing.
An upright officer, Sonawane was promoted as ADC after serving at a deputy collector.
His last rites were performed at Nashik on Tuesday night.
The state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to family of Sonawane and said his full salary will be paid to the family till his retirement.
Sonawane is survived by his wife and two children.