According to the police, Additional Collector Yeshwant Sonawane was traveling by car from Chanwad to Nandgaon tehsil office to attend an official meeting. During the journey he found some pilferage from a petrol tanker near a restaurant at a distance of eight kilometers off Manmad town. When Sonawane went to inquire about the pilferage, a scuffle took place between him and the gang of adulterators. In fit of rage the adulterators poured petrol on Sonawane and set him on fire due to which Sonawane died on the spot.

At the time of this shocking incident, the driver of Sonawane, Kailash Gawli and his steno Raju Kale were present. The petrol adulterators also attempted to kill the two of them by setting them ablaze, but they fled from the scene to save their lives.

Meanwhile, it has become clear that the plot to kill the additional collector was the handiwork of notorious criminal Popat Shinde and his gang. Shinde also received burn injuries in the process when Sonawane was being burned alive and is admitted in the government hospital for treatment.

Immediately after receiving information of the incident, senior police officials rushed to the murder spot, where they found the charred body of the additional collector. Nashik District Collector P. Vallarasu told the media that investigations into the incident have begun and stern action would be taken against the criminals.

State Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat announced that the government will invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against all the criminals who were involved in the killing of Sonawane. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has also instructed the Nashik police chief to take drastic action against the criminals.