Jalgaon:
A tehsildar escaped unhurt while his driver was injured today after unidentified persons, suspected to be sand mafia members, allegedly set on fire his official vehicle in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, police said.
The incident took place when suspected sand mafia members, apparently on trail of Chalisgaon tehsildar, Shashikant Hatgal, who has opened a drive against illegal mining in the region, set afire his jeep that was parked outside the Mehunbare Panchayat office early morning, they said.
Mr Hatgal was resting inside the office when the incident took place. However, the driver of the vehicle, identified as Aziz Beig Anwar Beig Mirza, who was at the wheels, sustained minor injuries putting off the flames, police said, adding a case has been registered against unidentified miscreants in Mehunbare police station.
"The incident took place when the tehsildar got down from the vehicle and went inside the panchayat office to take rest while the driver was sleeping inside the jeep. We have registered a case and investigations are on," Mehunbare police station incharge Vishwajeet Kaingale told PTI.
In 2011, additional district collector of neighbouring Nashik district, Yashwant Sonawane, was burnt alive allegedly by oil mafia.