In an unsparing broadside against the Centre, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Wednesday launched a scathing critique in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, questioning the Centre’s misplaced priorities amid ongoing ‘bloodshed’ in Manipur.

Highlighting a grim contrast, an editorial in Saamana condemned the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for deploying massive state machinery to turn the national capital into a “military cantonment” to crush peaceful political protests, while leaving the border state of Manipur to suffer under unrelenting ethnic violence.

The editorial painted a tragic picture of the ground reality in Manipur, pointing out that despite the presence of a “double-engine” government at both the Centre and state, peace remains distant. Over the past three years, the deep-seated clash between the Meitei, Kuki, and Naga communities — originally triggered after legal stances were taken regarding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status — has claimed more than 350 lives. The violence has seen a deadly resurgence. Over the last six months alone, 60 people have lost their lives, with at least 23 fatal attacks recorded over a recent 20-day span.

Highlighting the human cost, the editorial cited a recent incident in the Sunulok region where an armed group opened indiscriminate fire on 14 Meitei civilians collecting firewood in a forest, killing three instantly. Enraged citizens placed the body of a slain youth directly outside Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh’s residence in Imphal, protesting the administration’s inability to secure citizens’ lives.

“Thousands of displaced Manipuris continue to languish in overcrowded, substandard government relief camps, trapped in constant fear for their lives. Heavy security forces are deployed, yet armed groups clash at will with assault weapons. Sending security contingents is treated as the end of the government’s duty, while grassroots trust-building remains entirely missing,” noted the editorial.

The Thackeray camp claimed that to suppress anti-government demonstrations in New Delhi, the government mobilised sweeping security apparatuses, converting streets into militarised zones with barricades and heavy force to secure political stability in the national capital. Conversely, in Manipur’s hilly and forest regions, where armed outfits clash continuously, security measures have failed to halt daily acts of arson, killings, and terror.

The editorial further remarked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur brought no lasting operational change, accusing the leadership of operating under a narrow directive: “Let Manipur burn, but Delhi must be saved, and the government must survive.”

Concluding with a poignant critique, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena asked, “Is Manipur not a part of India just like Delhi? While the government deploys massive strength in Delhi, why is the same force not applied to Manipur? Manipur is burning over and over again. Who will stop this inferno?”

Palghar Police have solved the murder of a 52-year-old woman, Sajani Vinod Waghari, who was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a hammer following a minor dispute in the Saphale police station area. Two accused have been arrested in connection with the crime, police said on Tuesday.

The accused have been identified as Nilesh Dharamaji Chibhade (35), a resident of Bambar Pada, Jamshar Post, Jawhar taluka, and Ujwala Navsu Khutade (33), a resident of Dabhosa in Jawhar taluka, both in Palghar district.

According to police, Waghari, a resident of Adwan Sawarpada in Palghar taluka, was found injured near an iron bridge at Tepacha Pada on October 15, 2026. She was immediately taken to the Saphale Primary Health Centre, where doctors examined her and declared her dead.

Initially, a case of accidental death (No. 32/2026) was registered at Saphale Police Station under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

However, during the inquest and subsequent medical examination, doctors found a serious injury behind the woman’s ear, apparently caused by a weapon. The injury had resulted in excessive blood loss, leading to her death.

Following the medical findings, police suspected murder and registered a case (No. 119/2026) under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on October 15.

Considering the seriousness of the crime, Palghar Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh directed the formation of separate teams from the Local Crime Branch and Saphale Police Station to investigate the case.

The teams pursued leads through confidential information and technical analysis, which eventually helped identify the two suspects.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to attacking Waghari on the head with a hammer following a minor altercation, police said.

Both were subsequently arrested and produced before a court, which remanded them to five days of police custody until October 22.

The murder case was cracked under the guidance of SP Yatish Deshmukh, Additional Superintendent of Police Vinayak Narale and Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Palghar division Umesh Gawali. Further investigation is being conducted by Assistant Police Inspector Datta Shelke of Saphale Police Station.

Mumbai: A woman has been arrested by a team from Crime Branch Unit 7 in connection with an extortion case. The accused allegedly extorted approximately 40 million rupees (4 crore rupees) from a resident of Ghatkopar by threatening to defame her using an obscene video and threatening her with death. She was also demanding further payments.
The complainant works as a manager at a jewelry store. Between December 2024 and January 2025, an acquaintance—a woman—engaged the complainant in an obscene video chat via WhatsApp. The accused then threatened to circulate this footage to the police, the courts, and the CBI, claiming that the complainant would be summoned for investigation. Fearing public disgrace, the complainant paid a total of 40 million rupees to the accused. The woman continued to demand more money and threatened that if further payments were not made, she would break the complainant’s limbs and kill her. Taking into account the gravity of the matter, Crime Branch Unit 7 (Ghatkopar, Mumbai) laid a trap for the woman who had been demanding extortion money. On October 19, she was caught red-handed at RK Restaurant, LBS Road, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai, while accepting a sum of 5 lakh rupees from the complainant. Following the complainant’s report, a case was registered at the Ghatkopar Police Station under Sections 308(2) and 308(7) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Crime Branch has taken over the investigation, and the woman has been arrested; further inquiries are being conducted by Unit 7, Ghatkopar.
This operation was carried out by a team comprising Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Anil Kumbhare, Additional Commissioner Krishnakant Upadhyay, and DCP Nanath, along with the personnel of Unit 7.