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As India, the world’s greatest democracy celebrates its Republic Day on January 26, the newspaper headlines across the country scream of Additional Malegaon District Yeshwant Sonawane having been burnt alive by oil mafia for trying to prevent them from stealing kerosene from an oil tanker parked outside a dabha near oil depots of HPCL, BPCL and Indian Oil Corporation.
This is the price a top upright government official had to pay for his honesty. This has sent shock waves through the length and breadth of the country.
What a damper on an otherwise colourful and joyous national celebration of our revered motherland. This is utterly shocking. It shakes the very roots of our democracy.
The incident took place at a Nashik near Manmad some 260 km from Mumbai when the 44 year old Yashwant Sonawane was waiting for his local officers after calling them for a raid.
Divisional Commissioner of Nashik, Jayant Gaikwad, told The Times of India that Sonawane had gone to Mumbai for a meeting; then he went back to Chandvad in Nashik where farmers were agitating. Sonewane was then on way to Nandgaon when he saw pilferage outside the shop of Popat Shindeat Panewadi village in Manmad. Popat Shinde is a history sheeter.
Popat Shinde along with his son, his nephew and another goon who arrived by motor cycles surrounded the Collector, beat him up and doused him with kerosene before setting him on fire. All of them have been arrested by the Police. The oil mafia is believed to be involved in pilferage of kerosene from tankers and use it for adulteration of diesel and petrol which are priced at least four or five times the price of kerosene.
Apparently, Sonawane grappled with Popat Shinde preventing him from escaping. Shinde has been admitted to the hospital with 60 percent burns. Sonawane is survived by his wife and two children.
About 17 lakh Maharashtra Government employees have threatened to go on strike to protest against this merciless killing. Clearly, nobody wants mafia to run this country. And, they want safety and security of upright officials to be ensured.
Revenue Minister, Balasaheb Thorat who rushed to the spot said that the culprits would be booked under the tough Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Home Minister R R Patil has issued orders for a statewide crackdown on the oil mafia.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan ordered an inquiry and announced Rs 25 lakh payment to the family; salary till the retirement date of Sonawane; job for one family member and free education for his children till graduation level and a house.
This is all very fine. The point is: it is not the job of the Additional District Collector to ensure that pilferage of kerosene and adulteration of diesel and petrol do not take place though he may be the overall in-charge of these things.
There must be an official machinery and enforcement agencies to regulate this. The Additional District Collector had to do this because those who were responsible for enforcing this either shirked their work or turned a blind eye toward these possibly for some consideration.
It is good that the assailants are being punished under the strictest laws of the land. But, the people who let them grow so bold should be identified and taken to task. After all, they are drawing their salaries from the central or state exchequer.
