Sonawane killing: 80,000 Maharashtra workers on strike

MUMBAI: Over 80,000 gazetted officers in Maharashtra today went on a cease work to protest the killing of Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane by members of the oil mafia.

"We have not announced the protest as a strike but we are shunning work to register our protest against this gruesome act which has shaken the government employees," president of the Maharashtra Gazetted Officers Mahasangh Ravindra Dhongade said.

The Shiv Sena has also called for a bandh in Manmad in Nashik district today to protest Sonawane's killing.

"We have asked our colleagues to shun work. We are organising morchas and rallies to protest the killing. Our colleagues will meet district collector and regional commissioners and submit a memorandum against the incident," he said.

At Mantralaya, government employees will hold a protest meeting, he said.

Dhongade said the officers are shaken by the murder and lower-level officers would also join the protest. "Protest marches will be taken out across the state. Employees will join immediately after registering their attendance," he said.

The Mahasangh is a representative body of gazetted officers in the state.

"We met Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan yesterday. He has assured us that a thorough probe will be conducted into the incident," he said, adding attacks against state government employees will not be tolerated.

Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane was burnt alive by suspected members of local oil mafia.