Sonawane attack: Main accused dies,family protests

The police and hospital authorities were completing formalities as Shinde died in police custody. A post mortem was to be conducted in the night.

The hospital authorities said they would hand over Shinde’s body to the Manmad police that had admitted him. Meanwhile,Shinde’s family suspected foul play and were planning not to claim his body.

The police said the development would not change the line of investigation. “We are still probing the case of murder and Popat Shinde remains the main accused. His son Kunal will be a juvenile accused,” said Superintendent of Police (Nashik rural) Milind Bharambe.

Shinde was arrested last week for his role in burning Sonawane alive. Sonawane had stopped on his way to Malegaon near a dhaba when he noticed some people pilfering kerosene.

After an argument,Shinde allegedly set Sonawane on fire. While Sonawane died on the spot,Shinde sustained severe burn injuries.

According to doctors,Shinde was not responding to treatment. “His condition was deteriorating everyday,” said Dr T P Lahane,Dean,JJ Group of Hospitals.

Lahane said Shinde was in a “disoriented” condition and so the police could not record his statement.

But Shinde’s son Sagar said that they did not believe a dying declaration had not been made. “He was speaking with relatives and police in Nashik. He was preparing to give a statement of what happened and all the links in the racket,including the names of senior officials,” alleged Sagar.

“I don’t think he was so severely burnt that he should die. I suspect he might not have been treated at all,” he said.

Sagar said Shinde may have given a statement. “He may have revealed the names of certain politicians and bureaucrats. I am not willing to claim his body.”