Official's jeep set afire in Maharashtra

Mumbai, May 3 (IANS) The jeep of a local official cracking down on the sand mafia was set on fire early Thursday in rural Maharashtra, injuring its driver, police said.

The incident took place in Mehunbare, 400 km from here.

"Unidentified persons set the jeep on fire while the driver was sleeping inside," police officer Vishwajeet Kaingade told IANS. It belonged to Mehunbare tehsildar Shashikant Hadgar.

The driver suffered burn injuries on his hands while trying to douse the flames. The police suspect the sand mafia was behind the arson.