Beed sarpanch murder: Karad's supporters hurl stones at buses against MCOCA invocation

Mumbai: Supporters of Walmik Karad, arrested in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district, on Tuesday threw stones at buses and set tyres on fire in Parli town after MCOCA was invoked against him, police said.

Earlier in the day, an official said that Karad- an aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA).

Hundreds of supporters of Karad targeted buses with stones, set tyres ablaze, and tried to block roads in Parli, officials said. They raised slogans in support of Karad and called for a bandh.

The demonstration was held despite prohibitory orders in place in Beed district till January 28.

Police have registered two cases for damaging public property following Tuesday's incidents, an official said.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Beed district till January 28 in view of protests against the murder of a sarpanch and quota-related agitations by Maratha and OBC activists.

The district administration said in a release issued on Monday that assembly of five or more persons without permission from authorities has been prohibited, and people are not allowed to carry weapons in public places.

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9. Preliminary investigation suggests he had tried to thwart an extortion bid on an energy firm operating a windmill project in the region.

The Kej police have so far arrested seven persons in the murder case, while another accused is on the run.

On Tuesday, a court remanded Karad to 14-day judicial custody.