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Puri and IOC Demand Swift Action After Officer Stabbed to Death in Maharashtra
- •Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Indian Oil Corporation have demanded swift and strict action from Maharashtra authorities following the fatal stabbing of IndianOil officer Mahesh Shelke in Hingoli district.
- •Shelke, a Retail Sales Manager, was attacked with a sharp weapon and stabbed seven times during an inspection and takeover of a retail outlet in Ambachondi village on Tuesday.
- •The tragic incident has drawn parallels to the 2005 killing of IOC sales officer S Manjunath, highlighting the severe risks faced by energy-sector personnel enforcing rules at fuel pumps.
- •IndianOil and the IndianOil Officers Association strongly condemned the violence, calling for a fast, impartial, and time-bound investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Key Questions Answered
Mahesh Shelke, a Manager (Retail Sales) for IndianOil, was fatally attacked with a knife while carrying out a takeover and sealing process at a petrol pump in Ambachondi village alongside his team. An argument broke out between the team and the pump owner's family members and others present at the site, which escalated into violence.
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and IndianOil Chairman A S Sahney took up the matter with senior Maharashtra government and police officials, demanding swift, stringent, and strict action against those responsible. The IndianOil Officers Association also called for a time-bound, impartial investigation and the arrest of the perpetrators within 24 hours.
The attack recalled the 2005 killing of S Manjunath, a 27-year-old IOC sales officer who was shot dead in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. Manjunath had been killed after inspecting a petrol pump where irregularities and an oil-adulteration racket had been detected.
