Maharashtra will investigate Beed sarpanch killing and Parbhani violence

He acknowledged the prevalence of lawlessness in Beed and noted attempts to create anarchy in the district

Nagpur: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a judicial probe into the killing of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh and the violence that erupted in Parbhani following the desecration of a Constitution replica. Fadnavis also declared that NCP minister Dhananjay Munde's close associate Walmik Karad and his accomplices would be charged with organised crime in the district. The Superintendent of Police of Beed district will be transferred, he added.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis (PTI)

Following four days of uproar in the legislative Assembly over the killing in Beed and the violence in Parbhani, Fadnavis made these announcements whilst responding to the debate. He acknowledged the prevalence of lawlessness in Beed and noted attempts to create anarchy in the district. He pledged to initiate a 'cleansing process' by the police department to protect industries from harassment.

"There is no doubt that Massajog village's Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was brutally killed by the accused after his intervention in hooliganism at a power generation firm. Accused Ashok, Sudarshan and Pradip Ghule had attacked the company's watchman for not allowing them to meet the officers of the company. When the sarpanch tried to intervene after reaching the gates of the company, he was thrashed by the accused. In retaliation, Sarpanch and villagers, too, attacked the accused. The videos of the skirmish went viral on social media across the district. The attack on Sarpanch came four days after the skirmish as its fallout," Fadnavis said.

He explained that following the skirmish on December 6, the Sarpanch was abducted from the toll plaza and killed on December 9 by the accused. "He was brutally killed by hitting him with iron rods. I have spoken to the director general of police and told her that the lawlessness would not be tolerated. The special investigation team has already been constituted under the inspector general of police to probe the killing incident. On the other hand, the judicial probe will be conducted in the ecosystem that has generated the lawlessness in the district. The report of the probe is expected to be submitted in six months," he said.

Fadnavis revealed that Karad and his associates have been booked for extortion of ₹2 crore and will be charged under MCOCA. He added that Karad would be booked if his connection to the Sarpanch killing case is established. According to Fadnavis's statement, the accused in the Sarpanch killing and those booked in the extortion case are the same individuals.

He also announced a judicial probe into the violence that erupted in Parbhani on December 10 following the desecration of a Constitution replica. Fadnavis explained that the desecration was carried out by a mentally unfit person, leading to aggressive and violent protests. The death of one of the protesters sparked outrage among the Dalit community.

Fadnavis announced an ex gratia payment of ₹10 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased in both Beed and Parbhani cases.