NCP leader Sachin Kurmi’s murder and the politics of Byculla

After approaching several political leaders, addressing multiple press conferences, and even sitting on a hunger strike for four days, the family now plans to move the Bombay high court

Mumbai: More than seven months after Sachin Kurmi, a local functionary of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was stabbed to death on October 4 while on a post-dinner walk in Byculla, his family are still awaiting justice.

Mumbai, India - May 1, 2025:Mahesh Kurmi brother of late Sachin Kurmi along with his family and supporters, sits on indefinite hunger strike and demanded immediate arrest of main suspect of his murder, at Byculla in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

After approaching several political leaders, addressing multiple press conferences, and even sitting on a hunger strike for four days, the family now plans to move the Bombay high court.

Despite the Mumbai police arresting six people for the murder and invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the family has expressed distrust in the investigation and alleged that Kurmi was killed by his political opponents, a claim that the Mumbai police have rejected so far. According to the investigation, prima facie, an old rivalry was the trigger for the murder.

The brutal killing—Kurmi was stabbed at least 20 times—has once again brought to light Byculla’s complex history as a hub for organised crime and gang activity. The area’s central location and industrial past make it a focal point for real estate disputes, which often involve political backing.

Before Kurmi, one of the most infamous murders in the area was that of mill owner Sunit Khatau in 1994, which was linked to disputes over the sale of prime mill land. Over the last few decades, several political parties have vied for influence in Byculla and the nearby Mazgaon, often leading to violence.

However, Kurmi had a clean image in the public, according to Mahesh Vengurlekar, a social worker from Mazgaon. “He was a seasoned politician; he had good people-to-people connections in the area; he was not into any illegal business,” he said.

Like other political leaders, Kurmi also dreamt of representing the people of Mazgaon and Byculla and contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, which will be held later this year. His elder brother, Mahesh Kurmi, said that Shiv Sena leader Yeshwant Jadhav had even convinced Sachin to join the party a few years ago, but he eventually returned to the NCP. This was before both the Shiv Sena and NCP split in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Kurmi was murdered weeks before the 2024 assembly elections, in which Jadhav’s wife, Yamini Jadhav, lost her Byculla seat to Manoj Jamsutkar, a leader from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), by over 31,000 votes. In the Lok Sabha elections earlier last year, she lost to Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena (UBT) from the Mumbai South constituency. The Byculla assembly segment played a crucial role in the defeat, as Jadhav trailed from the area.

The attack on Kurmi wasn’t an isolated event in Byculla. In 2022, there were at least three such cases. Suresh Chalwari, the deputy branch head of the Shiv Sena (UBT) was attacked by three people with bamboo sticks and a spade handle in November 2022.

“They recced my movements and learnt that I walked home alone late at night after closing the branch office. They chose an isolated spot to attack me,” said Chalwari. Kurmi, too, was attacked at an isolated spot that didn’t have CCTV coverage.

In July 2022, two other Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders from Byculla, Baban Goankar and Vijay Kamtekar, were attacked with iron rods by multiple people who came wearing masks. “Such were the attacks in Byculla that the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray came and met us and demanded quick action from the cops. The police made some arrests, but that deterrent effect is not there,” said Chalwari.

He further alleged that the same people who attacked him were involved in Kurmi’s murder. “When we complain, our complaints are not taken seriously as several people from the ruling party are supporting the accused.” The attacks were carried out in such a way to create fear in the minds of political leaders, he added.

Kurmi’s wife, Anupama, also made the same allegation. “The main accused in our case are all linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party and are supported by senior leaders, who pressure the police,” she said, adding that the BJP has few leaders in Mazgaon and is now trying to make inroads in the area.

However, the police denied this claim. “We have arrested six people in the case: Anand Kale, Vijay Kakade, Praful Patkar, Govind Yadav, Shekhar Madhokar, and Dilip Wagaskar. We have filed a charge sheet under stringent sections of MCOCA. Our investigation is still open. If new leads emerge, we can make further arrests,” said a crime branch officer. Only one of the six accused has any established political links—Wagaskar is reportedly the deputy coordinator of the Byculla assembly constituency for the Shiv Sena, which is the BJP’s ally.

However, the police officer admitted that with real estate prices in Byculla booming due to new upcoming projects, crime and extortion to get work done has also increased. Several politicians have stakes in construction companies, the officer added.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who once had a stronghold in Mazgaon, said he had met the then Mumbai police commissioner, Vivek Phansalkar, to discuss Kurmi’s murder case, but was told there was nothing more to it than what the police claim. “Kurmi was brutally killed and the family has certain allegations. However, although I had asked to investigate the matter, I was told there was nothing more to it than people who were arrested,” he said. Kurmi was believed to be close to Bhujbal and NCP chief Ajit Pawar.

However, Mahesh Kurmi isn’t giving up. He is convinced there’s more to the case than what the police are letting through. He also alleged that his brother had been threatened over various issues before being murdered.

“The accused who we are demanding action against ran gambling dens. My brother had complained against their illegal businesses. There were also disputes over taking small contracts like maintaining a garden. The crime branch had promised us that the people we had named and are associated with a ruling party were involved in the crime and they would be arrested, but then suddenly they decided not to arrest them. When we met a few senior officers, they told us that there was political pressure on them to not make the arrest.”

BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar denied that the accused are linked to his party or that there is any political pressure on the police. “Indeed, we want the police to carry out a fair investigation in all the cases, and in particular such cases. The family should get justice,” he said.