Sonawane\’s widow demands CBI probe; government staff strike work

MUMBAI - The widow of additional collector Yashwant Sonawane, Vijaya, Thursday demanded a CBI probe into her husband\’s killing even as 1.80 million Maharashtra government employees struck work and residents of Manmad city observed a total shutdown in protest against the incident.

Vijaya told mediapersons that she had no faith in the state police and said that an impartial probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was needed to unravel the conspiracy behind her husband\’s killing.

\”There is a conspiracy behind my husband\’s killing. An impartial probe by CBI must be ordered to bring out the truth. I have no faith in the state police,\” she declared.

Sonawane, 44, was doused with kerosene and burnt alive in Panewadi, near Manmad in Nashik district Tuesday, when he went to conduct a raid on the local fuel mafia suspected to be pilfering kerosene from tankers.

Meanwhile, the corridors of power in mantralaya, the state government headquarters, as well as all other government offices around the state wore a deserted look Thursday with employees keeping away from work to protest Sonawane\’s killing by fuel pilferers.

\”There were dharnas, processions, slogan shouting, waving of black flags, wearing black bands and agitations in different parts of the state, including Nashik, Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad, Solapur, Osmanabad, Thane, Satara, Mumbai and other places, as part of our day-long action,\” Maharashtra Gazzetted Officers Association president G.D. Kulthe told IANS.

Raising slogans like \”Yashwant Sonawane amar rahe\”, the employees criticized the administration for not being able to protect its employees.

\”We have not announced the protest as a strike but we are shunning work to register our protest against this gruesome act which has shaken the government employees,\” Kulthe added.

Kulthe demanded that his killers should be tried in a fast track court to punish the perpetrators as early as possible.

The employees strike called by the Association for Class 1 and Class 2 officers was supported by other unions.

Police have arrested all the 11 accused in connection with the incident. They have been remanded to police custody till Feb 8.

The city of Manmad observed a total shutdown as school, colleges, shops and offices remained closed.