The employees and officers of the unions also took out silent protest rally and condemned the killing during the condolence meeting.

The employees union had called for an agitation on Thursday to condemn Sonawane’s killing. Responding to the call by the unions, all officers and employees of the Revenue Department in the state condemning the incident began agitation outside their office since morning. The union leaders leveled serious allegations against the state government alleging not enough protection were given to officers.

While agitations by the government employees was taking place in Maharashtra, in Delhi Petroleum Minister S. Jaipal Reddy held a high-level meeting with his ministry officials. Reddy ordered his officials to take concrete steps to curb adulteration in petrol, diesel and kerosene. The state government which has also woken up after the live roasting of the additional collector had also initiated action against the oil mafia engaged in adulteration rackets.

Police and Civil Supply Department officials carried out massive operations against the adulterators in the state Wednesday, carrying out raids at more than 200 places and filing criminal cases against 250 persons. So far 180 persons have been taken into custody and a huge quantity of materials used in adulteration of petrol and diesel was confiscated.

In another development, the Shiv Sena had called for a shut down in Manmad and Nashik city in protest against the killing of Sonawane. All business establishments, schools and colleges were closed. Work in all government offices and industrial belt in Nashik was paralyzed due to the shut down. However, there were no reports of any violence or untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, the killing of Sonawane has taken a political twist. The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Sudhir Mungtiwwar criticized Chhagan Bhujbal, the Public Works Department (PWD) minister who is also the guardian minister of Nashik relating to Sonawane's case. Leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly and senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse questioned as to how the prime accused Popat Shinde who was ordered to keep out of Manmad was moving freely in the Nashik district. He demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) into the incident.

Anant Dani, the brother-in-law of the deceased additional collector, also demanded a CBI inquiry. He said that there was an element of surprise in the case and wanted to know why the oil mafia did not touch the steno and driver who accompanied Sonawane and only set him ablaze. The police should examine the phone conversation and details from Sonawane's cell phone and hand over further investigations to the CBI.

The Nashik police have so far arrested 11 accused in the murder of Sonawane. All were produced before a magistrate who remanded them to police custody till Feb. 14.