Under attack over Purnekar murder, Meenakshi Shinde resigns as Sena women’s wing chief

Purnekar’s family has accused Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra of orchestrating the murder. The couple has been questioned multiple times by Thane police in the course of the probe though they have not been named in the FIR

Mumbai: Exactly a month after Thane Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar was murdered by four masked assailants at his office at Manpada, Thane, former mayor and leader of the rival Shiv Sena women’s wing Meenakshi Shinde resigned from her position saying she did not want Eknath Shinde to be slandered on her account. Purnekar’s family has accused Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra of orchestrating the murder. The couple has been questioned multiple times by Thane police in the course of the probe though they have not been named in the FIR.

In her resignation letter, Meenakshi Shinde, Thane’s former mayor, wrote that she was pained by the allegations levelled at her (HT Photo)

On September 29, four men whose identities have yet to be established stormed into Purnekar’s office, opened fire at the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and later hacked his body. Though investigators have arrested five people in the case, it’s the Purnekar family’s claim that Shinde and her husband orchestrated the hit over growing political rivalry.

Purnekar’s murder is the latest flashpoint in the escalating tensions between the two Shiv Senas, especially in Thane which was a bastion of the undivided Shiv Sena and is now under the political sway of Eknath Shinde who is also Thane’s guardian minister. In her resignation letter, Meenakshi Shinde, Thane’s former mayor, wrote that she was pained by the allegations levelled at her.

“It is distressing to see a conspiracy being orchestrated by people from various political parties coming together to level allegations against me and thereby putting you, as the party leader and guardian minister, under pressure…I cannot even bear the thought that I should become the reason for the defaming of the very leadership whose honour I have worked to uphold throughout my career,” she said in the resignation letter addressed to Eknath Shinde.

Her decision comes on the back of a sustained campaign mounted by Shiv Sena (UBT) for her arrest. On the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) activists blockaded Thane roads for seven hours, leading to massive traffic jams that cascaded on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway as well.

On Thursday morning, Thane police raced to contain the damage and denied permission to both Shiv Sena (UBT) which wanted to carry out another protest and also members of the Shiv Sena who wanted to march in opposition to Sena (UBT) activists.

Prashant Kadam, deputy commissioner of police (zone 5), told HT, “We have arrested a few people who on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning blocked the traffic, burnt tyres, and manhandled some cops. We have registered six FIRs and investigation is ongoing to identify the miscreants.”

While deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has refused to comment on the Purnekar family’s allegation, party deputy leader Sheetal Mhatre told HT: “We are with the Purnekars in this moment of grief and call for a fair investigation but we will not tolerate any allegations made against our chief leader Eknath Shinde.”

Purnekar’s son Ram who has been leading the protests said he would not rest until Meenakshi and Rajendra Shinde were arrested for the murder of his father. On Thursday, he spoke to Aaditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut when they visited the family.

Jaynath Purnekar, the slain leader’s brother, told HT that Meenakshi Shinde’s resignation was an eyewash.

“She should also resign as corporator and Shiv Sena member. CChief minister Devendra Fadnavis must depute an IPS-rank officer to lead the SIT or hand the case over to the CBI in the next 2-3 days, failing which we will approach the high court to seek justice for my brother,” Jayanth said.