Beed (Maharashtra), Dec 28: Various Opposition parties, social groups and non-government organisations in Maharashtra on Saturday took out a massive ‘silent procession’ to protest the murder of Massajog village Sarpanch, Santosh Pandit Deshmukh.

Deshmukh, 45, was kidnapped, brutally tortured and then killed near a windmill company because he was attempting to stop an extortion racket. His killing has sparked a massive political furore in Maharashtra.

Sporting black masks or arm bands, carrying banners, placards and photos of Deshmukh, top leaders of various parties joined several thousands, including many women and youth for the silent march.

The silent march began from a statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar and ended at the Beed Collectorate offices.

Among the participants were members of the bereaved Sarpanch’s family, comprising his widow, teen daughter Vaibhavi, brother, sister and hundreds of villagers supporting them.

Besides, there were Maharashtra Swarajya Party President Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje Bhosale, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) General Secretary and Mumbra-Kalwa (Thane) MLA Dr. Jitendra Awhad, NCP (SP) Beed MP Bajrang M. Sonawane, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ashthi MLA Suresh, Maratha leader and Shivba Sanghatana head Manoj Jarange-Patil, anti-graft crusader Anjali Damania, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, and local activists.

The posters-placards carried slogans demanding “justice for Deshmukh”, and arrest of the prime absconder-suspect Walmik Karad and two more, booking the mastermind/s behind the gruesome killing including a prominent ruling MahaYuti ally Nationalist Congress Party minister, plus others.

Deshmukh’s killing shot into national headlines with top leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) calling on the Deshmukh family, offering solace and assuring that they would take up the issue with the Maharashtra and central governments, even as it was raised in the Assembly last week, and the government promised strict action.

Simultaneously, parts of Beed town and the Massajog village observed a spontaneous shutdown as the locals kept all business establishments, schools, colleges and other private offices shut to join the silent march.

The Marathi Kranti Thok Morcha has demanded that the Deshmukh murder case should be investigated on priority and the trial assigned to a fast-track court in Mumbai (instead of Beed) for transparency, ensuring the maximum punishment for all the accused, invoking the anti-corruption Act, etc.

Mumbai: A massive fire broke out in early hours of Thursday at the Wajid Ali Compound, located in the India Market area on Khairani Road, Saki Naka in Kurla West. The fire, classified as a Level-III emergency, broke out at approximately 6:00 am and engulfed a large area of scrapped and plastic materials stored in godowns.

Details On The Fire

According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the blaze spread over an area of about 1,000 x 500 sq. feet, impacting the ground floor and a partially constructed first floor of the structure. Ten hose lines were deployed to combat the flames as firefighters worked relentlessly to control the situation. Visuals of the massive blaze have surfaced on the internet.

The MFB declared the incident a Level-III emergency at 7:21 am, escalating response efforts. Resources mobilised included 11 fire engines, 9 jumbo tankers, 11 advanced water tenders and 1 multipurpose water tanker. A team of senior fire officials, including a Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Divisional Fire Officers and Assistant Divisional Fire Officers, were present at the site to oversee operations.

No Injuries Reported So Far

Fortunately, no injuries or casualties have been reported so far. Emergency medical services, including a 108 ambulance, were stationed at the scene as a precautionary measure.

The fire caused substantial damage to the storage facility, which housed a huge quantity of plastic and scrapped materials, but authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the blaze.

Efforts are ongoing to fully extinguish the fire and assess the extent of the damage. Investigations will be conducted to establish the cause of the incident. Further updates are awaited.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that Mumbai will enjoy pleasant weather on December 28, featuring partly cloudy skies all day. Light to moderate rainfall has been noted in several areas of the city; check for more details to plan your day effectively.

Mumbai Weather Today

The temperature will vary from a low of 19 degrees Celsius in the early morning to a high of 32 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. The wind is blowing at a speed of 6 kmph today and the humidity stands at 67%. The sun will come up at 7:10 AM and go down at 6:10 PM, offering around 11 hours of daylight.

Unexpected Rainfall In Mumbai

According to reports, areas such as South Mumbai, Kalyan, Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, and parts of Palghar experienced light to moderate rainfall on Friday night. Light rain was observed in Navi Mumbai at midnight and also during the early morning hours. This might be because of the yellow alert issued in various areas of Maharashtra.

Mumbai Air Quality Today

The Air Quality Index (AQI) shows that Mumbai’s air quality is at 165, which signifies that it is at a poor level. Individuals with respiratory problems are recommended to remain indoors and warned.

Mumbai Weather Forecast

On December 29, the weather in Mumbai is expected to be mostly clear, with temperatures varying from 18 degrees Celsius in the morning to 34 degrees Celsius in the afternoon.

On December 30, the sky will be predominantly clear, featuring a morning temperature of 17 degrees Celsius and a peak of 34 degrees Celsius in the afternoon.

On December 31, the weather is expected to be predominantly clear, with morning temperatures beginning at 16 degrees Celsius and peaking at 33 degrees Celsius throughout the day.

On January 1, the atmosphere will remain predominantly clear, featuring a morning temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and a peak temperature of 33 degrees Celsius during the day.