In the midst of republic day celebration, a Breaking news flashes on my TV screen and it reads 'Additional District Collector, Yashwant Sonawane, set ablaze'. It comes as a shock to me that the values of our lives is peanuts. But is this situation existing only in our country? I often hear people quoting the examples of the first world nations on how human life is valued in their nations. So i decided to find out on what could have provoked the convicts of this to commit this horrendous crime.
1. GREED: It is claimed that Popat Shinde, the main accuse in the case who was involved in pouring the kerosene on Mr. Sonawane, was originally a stall owner of tea and snacks. He learnt the great art of oil pilferage and soon became a proud owner of two oil tankers. Certainly it involves big money. He owns a bungalow worth Rs. 25 lakh, a huge mansion for a vada pav stall owner.
Talking about numbers, usually a 20 litre of petrol is extracted from a 12000 litre tanker and refilled with kerosene. The driver of the truck gets Rs 100 from the mafia for each pilferage while the pilfered fuel is sold at about 60-70 per cent of the original price to the transport companies.
2. Loose ends in the system: As per reports, 80% gas stations on Mumbai - Delhi route sell diesel mixed with kerosene. Despite repeated requests to the state and central agencies, nothing concrete has been done to check the menace.The Petrol Dealers' Association, Pune, has accused the district administration of turning a blind eye to the chronic problem of pilferage of petrol at the Loni terminal, around 20 km from Pune. It houses the depots of the three state oil companies, where over 500 tankers are refilled daily. In August last year, the association had threatened to launch an indefinite stir on the issue, after which the Pune district administration had set up a 10-member vigilance panel comprising district officials, police personnel, representatives from oil companies and association functionaries but there was no raid by the committee even after a year of its formation.
3. Punishment against the crime: Getting out of the hands of police had always been easy for Shinde, who had been raided and booked seven times under the 'Essential Commodities Act' in past 10 years. He was also been externed in 2006 for a year but he got off within a few weeks. Apparently, the yr. 2006 raid was conducted by Late. Mr.Sonawane after which Popat shinde's bungalow was seized by the authorities.
4. The political connect: It is a well known phenomenon on how our 'netas' are interlinked with every mafia of the country. The story is no different here as well. One of the biggest oil mafia families in the region, headed by one Sainath Gedge, is known to be very close to the NCP. Police sources say the Gedges actually helped a senior NCP leader’s son win Assembly elections from a constituency in the region. The leader, ironically, had announced in election rallies at that time that strict action would be taken against oil mafias. A member of the Gedge family is also a corporator from the same region.
Infact, Shinde could get away with the charges against him in 2006 because of his political link ups.
Reasons like Shinde's wife's death are also considered for such unstable reaction by him. Also Late. Mr. Sonawane had known Shinde for many years and had been tracking him for a decade now.
It is a disheartening case of justice delayed. Despite several attempts of Mr. Sonawane to nail down the criminals, there wasn't any sufficient action against them as they had an upper hand of politicians. Shinde is also suffering 80% burns at J.J. Hospital in Mumbai with dismal chances of survival.
The stage is thus set for the built-up of a new, profound in oil pilferage, MAFIA. Hence, sadly, this story continues....
