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Beed sarpanch murder: Kin, Maha Oppn parties, social groups take out silent march

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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.

Crime

‘They Stepped On My Daughter’s Head…’: Muslim Family Accuses Policeman of Crushing Infant to Death During Raid in Rajasthan’s Alwar

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Alwar, Rajasthan: A one-month-old infant, Alisba, died after allegedly being crushed under a police officer’s foot during a raid in Alwar’s Raghunathgarh village on Sunday (March 2) morning.

The raid, conducted at around 6:00 AM at the house of daily-wage labourer Imran Khan, was led by head constables Girdhari and Jagveer, along with constables Sunil, Rishi, and Shahid.

As per reports, Imran claimed that the police entered their house without warning while his wife was asleep with their one-month-old daughter, who was wrapped in a blanket.

“When I was sleeping on the cot with my infant daughter, the policemen arrived all of a sudden, pulled me out, and sent me out of the room. They also pulled my husband out. They stepped on my infant daughter’s head and killed her. This is murder, and I want justice,” Razida Khan, the mother of the deceased girl, told media.

After the police ignored the family’s complaint, angry villagers gathered outside the Alwar SP (Rural) residence, staging a protest demanding justice.

As per the report, ASP Tejpal Singh confirmed that an FIR was filed against unidentified police personnel, and Imran Khan’s family was assured of action.

Following this, Alwar SP Sanjeev Nain sent the accused officials to police lines. Police sources said the raid was linked to a cybercrime case, but Imran Khan was not named in any FIR. Imran denied any role in online fraud and claimed that the police seized his phone during the raid.

Condemning the incident, Rajasthan LoP Tika Ram Jully urged the Chief Minister to take stringent action against the responsible. “In Alwar, the police are harassing the public in the name of cyber fraud. Raids are being conducted, and money is extorted. I raised this issue in the Vidhan Sabha as well. An infant died during the raid by the police. The Chief Minister should take cognizance and ensure that the public is not harassed. Action should be taken against those responsible, but the public should not be harassed,” he told media.

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Crime

‘Resignation Not Enough, Book Dhananjay Munde For Murder’: Maratha Activist Manoj Jarange-Patil

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Beed (Maharashtra): Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has said that the resignation of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde is not enough and has demanded that murder charges be filed against him in connection with the killing of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

Munde, who was Maharashtra’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister and an MLA from Parli, resigned from the state cabinet after his close aide, Walmik Karad, was identified as the mastermind behind Deshmukh’s murder. His resignation followed mounting pressure from the opposition and public outrage over the brutal killing.

Visit to Massajog and Calls for Strict Action

Jarange visited Massajog village in Beed to meet Deshmukh’s family after graphic images of the murder went viral. Speaking to reporters, he stated, “Munde’s resignation as a minister is not enough. He should also step down as an MLA, and murder charges should be filed against him.”

He alleged that the accused in the case were closely associated with Munde and that the money collected through their activities was reaching him.

The Case & Investigation

The demand for Munde’s resignation intensified after shocking details emerged in the court chargesheet, revealing the brutalities committed before Deshmukh’s murder.

Deshmukh was allegedly abducted, tortured, and killed on December 9, 2023, for attempting to stop an extortion racket targeting an energy company in the district.

On February 27, the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) filed a 1,200-page chargesheet in a Beed district court, detailing Deshmukh’s murder and two related cases.

Fighting For Justice

Jarange emphasized the need to dismantle the extortion network in Beed, stating, “The only job now is to destroy this racket. But some people are so consumed by money and power that they will go to any extent for it.”

Deshmukh’s brother, Dhananjay Deshmukh, said the past few months had been unbearable and had left him emotionally shattered. He also alleged that some politicians had pressured the former superintendent of police in Beed to suppress the case.

With public outrage growing, demands for stricter action against those involved are gaining momentum, keeping the case in the political spotlight.

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Crime

‘India Got Latent’ row: Ranveer Allahbadia to appear before Assam Police today

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Guwahati, March 4: YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia is set to appear before the Assam Police in Guwahati on Tuesday in the case related to his controversial comments on the stage of ‘India Got Latent’ show that has attracted massive backlash for the podcaster.

A case against Allahbadia was registered in Guwahati and he was served summons to appear before the Assam Police here.

The Guwahati Crime Branch last week questioned another YouTuber Ashish Chanchalani, who has also been embroiled in the controversy for his comments made during an episode of ‘India’s Got Latent’ show.

The interrogation lasted several hours after the YouTuber arrived at the Crime Branch office.

“YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani showed up for interrogation at the Crime Branch. He has complied with our inquiry. We will phone him if necessary, but we are not currently calling him again. We have not yet received a response from other people connected to the investigation. They will receive new summonses shortly,” Guwahati’s Joint Police Commissioner Ankur Jain told reporters here.

When Allahbadia made controversial comments on the show hosted by comedian Samay Raina, Chanchlani was listed in the Assam FIR.

Due to his remarks regarding parents and sex in an episode of the show, Allahbadia, better known by his stage name BeerBiceps, faced severe criticism and complaints.

Chanchlani has pleaded that the FIR filed at the Guwahati Crime Branch, Guwahati Police Commissionerate’s Cyber Police Station be quashed.

As the Maharashtra FIR was filed first, the YouTuber requested that the Guwahati FIR be transferred to Mumbai. While considering Chanchlani’s anticipatory bail motion, the Gauhati High Court granted him temporary relief on February 18 and instructed him to appear in person before the investigating officer within ten days.

The lawyer for Chanchlani contended that their client made no statements on the show and that the FIR’s accusations were limited to the co-accused. Under certain provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhtia, Information Technology Act, Cinematograph Act, and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, Guwahati Police filed a formal complaint against Chanchlani on February 10.

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