CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: An IndianOil sales manager died after being stabbed seven times with a dagger while on duty in Hingoli district on Tuesday. Within 24 hours, police arrested all five accused.On Tuesday morning, Mahesh Shelke (37) had gone to a petrol pump as part of a team to seal and take over the outlet. Hours later, the engineer was dead. What began as negotiations over handing over the outlet at Chondhi village in Vasmat taluka spiralled into a violent confrontation. Shelke was allegedly attacked with a dagger while others pelted stones at him, police said. Shelke was manager (retail sales) with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)’s Nanded office.
Killed on Duty
How it all unfolded
On Tuesday, Shelke was among the IOC officials and employees who reached the petrol pump around noon to seal it and take possession following a dispute with the Pandavveer family, which operated the outlet.Talks went on for hours. The family reportedly sought a month’s time and assured officials it would allow IOC to take over the outlet thereafter. But the company team remained firm on sealing the pump. The stand-off then turned violent.Hingoli SP Shrenik Lodha said preliminary probe showed that Umesh Pandavveer allegedly attacked Shelke with a dagger during the altercation. He allegedly stabbed Shelke seven times. Some of the other accused allegedly pelted stones, creating panic at the spot.Shelke suffered grievous injuries. A Kurunda police team led by assistant police inspector Shivaji Puri reached the spot and Shelke was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Five arrested within 24 hours
Police registered an FIR on the complaint of IndianOil senior manager Gullakantla Maniprasad. They booked five people for murder, attempt to murder, unlawful assembly and rioting, besides invoking provisions of the Arms Act.Lodha said all five were arrested within 24 hours. Police identified them as Latabai Pandavveer (46), her son Umesh (25), and their acquaintances Shravan Wakude (21), Rahul Dhayje (37) and Prathmesh Waghmare (27).Shelke’s body was taken to Vasmat sub-district hospital for autopsy before being handed over to his family.
Who was Mahesh Shelke?
Shelke was manager (retail sales) with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)’s Nanded office. A mechanical engineering graduate from an engineering college in Pune, he hailed from a village in Ahmedpur taluka of Latur district.He joined IndianOil in 2014 and served in south India before being transferred to Maharashtra in 2024. For the past two years, he had been living with his family in Nanded district.‘Heinous, unacceptable’: Puri on IOCL sales manager’s murderThe killing of an official while on duty drew sharp reactions from Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who took up the matter with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and DGP Sadanand Date.“The issue (stabbing of Shelke) has been taken up with the senior-most officials of the Maharashtra govt and police to ensure swift and strict action against those responsible, in accordance with law,” Puri said in a post on X.Calling it a “heinous and unacceptable act of violence”, Puri said the petroleum ministry and IndianOil would extend all possible support to Shelke’s family.
IndianOil seeks ‘swift and stringent action’
IndianOil chairman A S Sahney told PTI that the company had taken up the case with the “highest authorities in Maharashtra”, seeking “swift and stringent action”.“Deeply anguished by the tragic loss of our colleague, Mahesh Shelke, who was fatally attacked while discharging his official duties in Hingoli, Maharashtra,” Sahney said.
