The Akkalkot police have filed a case of murder against Congressman and Minister of State (Rural Development) Siddharam Mhetre after firing on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally on Saturday killed one party worker and injured three others.
The complaint was filed on Sunday evening.
BJP activist Bhimanna Kore (50) was killed in a firing during a rally of party candidate Siddharamappa Patil on Saturday. Two Congressmen, Sambharao Patil and Anandappa Birasdar were arrested in this regard.
Mhetre, however, denied his role in the incident.
“Both, Patil from the BJP and the accused, have a longstanding rivalry,” said Mhetre before the complaint was filed. “It seems that the attack on BJP workers was out of pending sugarcane bills.”
The BJP’s National General Secretary Gopinath Munde attended a demonstration on Sunday afternoon demanding Mhetre’s arrest.
The case against Mhetre and 27 others — under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code — was filed after the demonstration.
“Preliminary investigation revealed a longstanding feud between the BJP leader Patil and the arrested persons,” said Solapur Superintendent of Police Suresh Kumar. “There are old cases the accused and complainant have filed against each other.”
Munde also demanded that the Election Commission EC cancel Mhetre’s nomination.
{{/usCountry}}Munde also demanded that the Election Commission EC cancel Mhetre’s nomination.
{{/usCountry}}Tension prevailed in the town on Sunday as BJP workers and Kore’s family members refused to accept the body until the police acted against Mhetre.