Indian Oil Corporation official was allegedly stabbed to death during a dispute over the sealing and takeover of a petrol pump in Hingoli district of Maharashtra on Tuesday. Mahesh Shelke, 37, a retail sales manager with Indian Oil’s Nanded office, was reportedly attacked with a dagger while he was carrying out his official duties.
Police arrested five people within 24 hours of the incident and booked them in connection with the killing.
Shelke had gone to a petrol pump at Chondhi village in Vasmat taluka as part of a team of Indian Oil officials and employees tasked with sealing the outlet and taking possession of it following a dispute with the family operating the facility.
What began as discussions over the handover of the petrol pump reportedly turned violent after the operators sought additional time to vacate the premises.
Dispute turns violent
According to the preliminary investigation, the Indian Oil team reached the petrol pump around noon on Tuesday to carry out the sealing and takeover process. Discussions between the officials and members of the Pandavveer family continued for several hours.
The family allegedly requested about a month’s time before handing over the outlet and assured the officials that they would cooperate with the takeover later. However, the company team maintained that the petrol pump had to be sealed and taken over as scheduled.
The disagreement subsequently escalated into a confrontation.
Hingoli superintendent of police Shrenik Lodha said preliminary findings indicated that Umesh Pandavveer allegedly attacked Shelke with a dagger during the altercation. Police allege that Shelke was stabbed seven times.
Some of the other accused allegedly threw stones during the confrontation, creating panic at the site and making it difficult for the officials to safely carry out the takeover process.
Shelke sustained serious injuries in the attack. A team from Kurunda police station, led by assistant police inspector Shivaji Puri, reached the location after receiving information about the violence.
Shelke was taken to a hospital for treatment, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Five people arrested
Following the incident, police registered a case on the complaint of Indian Oil senior manager Gullakantla Maniprasad.
The accused were booked under provisions relating to murder, attempt to murder, unlawful assembly and rioting, along with relevant sections of the Arms Act.
Police arrested five people within 24 hours. Those arrested were identified as Latabai Pandavveer, 46, her son Umesh Pandavveer, 25, and three others identified as Shravan Wakude, 21, Rahul Dhayje, 37, and Prathmesh Waghmare, 27.
Investigators are examining the circumstances that led to the confrontation and the individual roles allegedly played by those arrested.
Shelke’s body was taken to the Vasmat sub-district hospital for a postmortem examination before being handed over to his family.
Who was Mahesh Shelke?
Shelke was working as a manager in retail sales with Indian Oil’s Nanded office. He had graduated in mechanical engineering from an engineering college in Pune and was originally from a village in Ahmedpur taluka of Latur district.
He joined Indian Oil in 2014 and initially worked in southern India before being transferred to Maharashtra in 2024. He had been living with his family in Nanded district for the past two years.
His death while carrying out an official assignment has prompted concern within the petroleum sector, with senior officials calling for action against those responsible.
Officials condemn the killing
Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri described the killing as a serious and unacceptable act of violence against an employee performing his official duties.
Puri said he had raised the matter with senior officials of the Maharashtra government, including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and director general of police Sadanand Date, and sought swift action in accordance with the law.
He also said the petroleum ministry and Indian Oil would extend support to Shelke’s family following his death.
Indian Oil chairman A S Sahney also expressed grief over the incident and said the company had taken up the matter with senior authorities in Maharashtra.
Sahney said the company was seeking swift and stringent action against those responsible for the death of Shelke, who was attacked while carrying out his official responsibilities.
The investigation remains underway as police examine the sequence of events leading to the confrontation and the circumstances surrounding the fatal attack.
