Click to play videoSangli: There is no respite for honest government officials in Maharashtra who have been facing threats from different mafias operating in the state. Just days after Malegaon Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane was brutally burnt alive, another government servant has been allegedly attacked by the sand mafia in Maharashtra.
The official, Srinivas Patil, was attacked for trying to stop sand mining in Sangli. Srinivas alleges that while chasing a truck on his motorcycle, three men started pelting stones on him. The police have arrested three persons.
"I have only one request that the mafia behind sand mining should be punished. The government should crackdown on them," said Patil.
Another activist, Sumaira Abdulali, also claimed that she too was attacked by the sand mafia a year back. She also called for an immediate ban on sand mining in the state.
"There is requirement of sand for building purposes and there is no upper restriction as to how much sand is required or could be used. There is no actual check at the construction sites. I heard a statement by the Home Minister RR Patil that they (government officials) should only go with police protection. This is exactly what was told to us as to why did we not take any police protection while going there. I don't know if police protection is mandatory to visit any construction site to take up environmental issues. This talks about the general law and order state in the area. By definition they are called mafias and a mafia would mean a strong nexus between those who are carrying it out with those who are high up there in the power are able to protect them. The attacks have intensified. The court has passed an order that the sand mafia should be banned due to the kind of damage that it is doing," said Sumaira Abdulali.
Government officials say that such attacks have been happening in smaller towns and have been discouraging them from taking action against sand and oil mafia.
Over 17 lakh workers across Maharashtra were protesting Sonawane's killing and demanded security at work.
Sonawane died on Tuesday after being set on fire by a petrol mafia gang in Nasik.
En route to a meeting, accompanied by an assistant and driver, Sonawane's suspicions were roused when he saw parked tankers and drums of oil at a local dhaba (road side eatery).
When he began asking uncomfortable questions, the offenders set him on fire.
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