Popat Shinde

Mumbai, Jan. 31: The prime suspect in the death of Malegaon-based additional collector Yashwant Sonawane, who was burnt alive last week, has succumbed to injuries at a Mumbai hospital.

Popat Shinde had suffered 70 per cent burns in the incident.

According to police, Shinde had poured kerosene on Sonawane after the additional collector caught Shinde’s men pilfering kerosene from an oil tanker. Sonawane died on the spot after he was set on fire. Shinde had suffered burns after some of the kerosene spilled on him and caught fire.

Ten others who were with Shinde tried to save him with a blanket. He was taken to a hospital in Malegaon and moved to Sir JJ Hospital a day later in a critical state.

Nashik police arrested the 10 suspects, including Shinde’s sons Vikas and Kunal. Shinde, however, was not formally arrested. Superintendent of police Milind Bharambe said: “He gave no dying declaration. We tried to record his statement but he was not in a condition to speak.”

Asked if Shinde’s death was a setback to the case, Bharambe said: “No, not at all.”

Bharambe said the police had enough evidence with the arrests of the others accused. The accused have been remanded in police custody till February 8.

Shinde, who had a long criminal record, allegedly ran a racket in Nashik to pilfer and adulterate oil. He had been externed from Manmad in 2006. He had two previous cases of fuel adulteration against him.

In May 2010, Sonawane had seized one of his tankers. The police said Shinde was under financial strain and his wife had died 10 days before the incident.