Crime
Beed Sarpanch murder case: NCP Minister Dhananjay Munde resigns
Mumbai, March 4: Amid raging controversy over the brutal killing of Massajog Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district, Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde on Tuesday resigned following a directive from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Munde’s personal assistant visited CM Fadnavis’ ‘Sagar’ bungalow and submitted the Minister’s resignation letter to the Chief Minister’s Office.
Munde, who is diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy (partial paralysis), did not come in person as he preferred to stay at the official bungalow.
The opposition staged a protest at the entrance of Vidhan Bhavan, demanding the resignation of Munde and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, who was convicted by the Nashik court in a fake documents case.
Although Munde was reluctant to tender his resignation, it was CM Fadnavis who prevailed over him and asked him to step down, especially when the chorus was increasing from ruling and opposition parties and various social organisations.
Munde’s resignation comes a day after the photos and videos of Deshmukh’s murder went viral on TV channels.
He was asked to resign days after the 1800-page charge sheet filed by the state CID had named the Minister’s close associate Walmik Karad as the mastermind in the broad daylight murder of Santosh Deshmukh in December last year. The charge sheet has mentioned all eight accused, including Karad, though one accused Krishna Andhale is still missing.
Karad has already been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in connection with the extortion case, which was linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Munde was under tremendous pressure to submit his resignation, but he and the NCP took the stand that he would resign after the findings of the investigations by CID, special investigation team and judicial committee.
NCP president and Dy CM Ajit Pawar reiterated that the party has condemned the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch, adding that it will take a call on Munde’s resignation after probe and the court order. Ajit Pawar had reminded Munde that he had himself submitted his resignation on moral grounds in the past after he was targeted over the irrigation scam. Thereafter, the Chief Minister left the decision of Munde’s resignation to Ajit Pawar.
The charge sheet was filed last week, along with matching voice samples of Karad and the company employees. CCTV footage showed the connection of the accused in the murder case with the extortion crime. The police sources said that after a CID investigation with the help of about 180 witnesses, Walmik was named as the mastermind of the crime. Evidence was been presented against eight accused, including Karad. The ‘digital’ evidence in this investigation, conducted under the guidance of Investigation Officer Basavaraj Teli, was examined and prepared by the forensic laboratory.
In the extortion case, Walmik has been accused of being the mastermind behind the crime. It has been mentioned in the charge sheet that he said, “End him as soon as he comes; otherwise, he will be forced to beg.”
Among the accused, Sudarshan Ghule and his accomplices were involved in organized crime. The charge sheet states that he and his accomplices committed 11 crimes in 10 years in Kej, Ambajogai in Beed district and Dharur and Kalamb in Dharashiv district.
According to the charge sheet, on October 8, 2024, Avaada Energy’s Land Acquisition Officer Shivaji Thopte went to meet Walmik Karad at his office in Parli at his request. Vishnu Chate was present at that time. At this time, Karad threatened, ‘If you want to keep the company running, pay Rs 2 crore or else stop all the work of Avada Company in Beed district.’
Further, on November 29, for the same demand, Sudarshan Ghule threatened, ‘Fulfill Walmik Anna’s demand and meet him. Do not start the work till then.’ Avadda Energy’s land acquisition officer Shivaji Thopte was abused and beaten up and threatened to pay Rs 2 crore or else the company would be closed.
Thereafter the company employees called and informed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh about the incident. Following this, Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh went to the site and requested Sudarshan Ghule and his associates, ‘Don’t close the company. Let people get employment.’
At that time, since Sudarshan Ghule was at the forefront in demanding extortion, the sarpanch threatened Santosh Deshmukh, saying that he would not leave him alive.
On the afternoon of November 29, 2024, Walmik Karad, Vishnu Chate, Sudarshan Ghule, Prateek Ghule, Sudhir Sangle and Krishna Andhale held a meeting at Vishnu Chate’s office in Kej and demanded that Avaada Energy should pay Rs 2 crore. They hatched a conspiracy on the recovery of ransom and also how to deal with Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.
According to the charge sheet, Santosh Deshmukh was abducted and murdered at the Dongaon toll plaza on December 9 last year. Since the charge sheet was filed in the court within 80 days, it will now be difficult for the accused to get bail, said the police sources. The government has recently appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as special prosecutor in the case.
Crime
Class 10 student, who shared dais with Andhra CM at school event, commits suicide

Amaravati, July 27: A Class 10 student, who had shared the dais with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu during a Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting at a government school in Polavaram district just three days ago, has died by suicide on Monday.
Murram Shivani, who sat next to the Chief Minister and spoke during the MPTM 4.0 at Zilla Parishad High School in Rampachodavaram, hanged herself at her grandmother’s house in Irlapalli village.
The girl left behind a handwritten suicide note, apologising to her parents for failing to fulfil their dreams. The reason for her extreme step was not known.
The girl’s parents work at a hotel in Korukonda while she was staying with her grandmother and was studying at Government High School, Rampachodavaram.
Police registered a case and took up investigation.
Shivani, who was said to be active in studies, had attracted the attention of all with her speech at MPTM 4.0 in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. She had expressed her wish to work hard and win the Shining Star Award next year.
After her speech, the Chief Minister had called her and made her sit next to her. He also had a chat with her.
Chief Minister Naidu said he was deeply saddened by the passing away of Murram Shivani.
He ordered officials to conduct a thorough investigation into Shivani’s death.
“It is distressing that Shivani, who had spoken so enthusiastically on stage during the mega parent-teacher meeting in Rampachodavaram, has taken her own life. I recall the words she shared with me that day about her studies and her high aspirations,” the Chief Minister said in a post on ‘X’.
“It is heartbreaking to see a tribal girl with such a promising future lose her life in this manner. Regardless of the underlying reasons, the fact that she is gone before realizing her dreams deeply troubles me,” he said.
“Students and the youth must stand strong in the face of challenges and hardships. I urge everyone not to succumb to pressure, despair, or hopelessness. There is a solution to every problem. Please share your pain and distress with your family, friends, and loved ones. Overcome the pressure and move forward to make your dreams a reality. I want to assure you that the government stands by you in every way,” added the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister and Education Minister Nara Lokesh attended the Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting (MPTM) at Zilla Parishad High School at Rampachodavaram on July 24. They interacted with students, parents and teachers. They also had lunch with the students.
The state government has been organising MPTM at government schools across the state to unite parents, teachers and communities for better student progress.
Crime
Two more arrested in Kolkata NEET protest violence case

Kolkata, July 27: Two more persons have been nabbed in connection with the violence and attacks on police personnel and journalists during the July 24 protest rally in Kolkata against the NEET examination paper leak and other exam scandals, taking the total number of arrests to 16, officials said on Monday.
Earlier, from Saturday evening till Sunday afternoon, 14 persons were arrested after being identified through CCTV footage and video recordings of the violence.
The two persons arrested on Monday morning have been identified as Waqar Azam (35), a resident of Karaya Area at Park Circus in South-East Kolkata, and Zaved Akhtar (32), a resident of Garden Reach area in the southern outskirts of Kolkata.
Both will be presented at a lower court in Kolkata later in the day, and the public prosecutor will seek their police custody.
They will all be tried under the newly enacted West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026, which provides for stricter measures against anti-social and violent activities, as was already announced by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari last week.
Tension broke out at the joint rally organised by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and some students and youth organisations against NEET examination paper leak on July 24 afternoon, as a section of the protesters hurled glass bottles, stones, bricks, bamboo sticks and shoes at the police personnel.
Some of the media persons covering the incident also suffered injuries after being hit by the things hurled by a section of the protesters. Some of the media personnel had to be hospitalised.
On Sunday afternoon, the Chief Minister said that none of the 14 persons arrested till that time in this connection was a student.
He also said that all those arrested after being identified as perpetrators through CCTV footage and videos were actually fundamentalists whose main intention on Friday was to create a major disturbance in the city, posing as student activists after assembling at the protest rally.
“Their only aim was to disturb the peace in the state and the country. All of them will be dealt with under the newly enacted West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026,” the Chief Minister said while speaking to the media persons on Sunday afternoon.
Crime
Police detain man for sexually assaulting elderly woman in Bengal’s Joynagar

Kolkata, July 27: In a heinous case involving a senior citizen, the police have detained a man for sexually assaulting an elderly woman in Joynagar area of South 24 Parganas district, said the police on Monday. The victim was first taken to a local hospital. Later, she was admitted to the Baruipur Sub district Hospital for advanced treatment. The police have started questioning the accused person.
Baruipur Police District Superintendent Arvind Kumar Anand said that action was taken immediately after receiving the complaint.
“The investigators have detained a suspect and interrogating him. All aspects are being investigated. If evidence of anyone else’s involvement in this incident is found, legal action will also be taken against them,” said the officer.
It is learned that the old woman had gone to get vegetables from a banana plantation behind her house on Sunday evening.
It is alleged that the accused sexually assaulted her after finding her alone in a secluded place. When the victim started screaming, the nearby residents rushed to the spot. However, it is alleged that the accused fled the spot before they arrived. The old woman could not be found then.
Local resident Basana Das told local media persons that the family members became worried when the old woman did not return home after evening.
Later, her son-in-law returned home and started searching for her. He found the old woman lying unconscious in the banana plantation behind the house and rescued her.
She was then rushed to the local hospital. Later, on the advice of doctors, she was shifted to the Baruipur Sub district Hospital.
The police said that the victim’s statement has been recorded. The investigation has been started on the basis of a confidential statement. A youth has been detained on suspicion in the initial investigation. He is being questioned in phases.
The investigators are probing whether any other person was involved in the incident.
There is an atmosphere of anger and anxiety in the area over the heinous incident. Local residents demanded stringent punishment for those who are involved in the incident.
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