Maharashtra: No breakthrough in Dalit family murder

The mutilated body parts of a Dalit couple and their son were recovered from a well at Javkhede village in Pathardi Taluka in Ahmednagar on Tuesday.

It’s been three days that a Dalit family was savagely murdered in Ahmednagar. However, the police are yet to crack the case. The mutilated body parts of a Dalit couple and their son were recovered from a well at Javkhede village in Pathardi Taluka on Tuesday.

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Subhash Anmolwar, inspector, Pathardi police station, and investigating officer in the case, said, “Six teams, involving at least 15 officers, are working on the case and the investigation is on.”

Sanjay Jadhav, 42, his wife Jayanti, 38, and their son Sunil, 19, were found dead after their bodies, chopped into pieces, were recovered from the village well. Initially, relatives refused to perform the last rites unless those behind the murders were arrested. The final rites were performed only after the police assured them that the culprits would be caught.

According to the police, Sanjay was a mason, while his son was studying a dairy course in Mumbai. Sanjay owned a 1.5-acre farm, where the family used to live.

The district superintendent of police, Lakhmi Gautam, said, since the family members of the victims have not named anybody, it is difficult to suspect anyone.

Sanjay’s father, Jagannath said, “My son had no dispute with anyone. The police should probe the case and find the truth.”

On Wednesday, RPI chief Ramdas Athavale visited Javkhede and demanded a CID probe. “There is a strong chance that this is a result of caste violence,” he said.

This is the third incident of Dalit killing in Ahmednagar district in recent times. In January 2013, three Dalits from Sonai were allegedly murdered by members of an upper caste Maratha community. In yet another incident, a 17-year-old Dalit boy of Kharde was murdered for allegedly having an affair with an upper caste girl.