Beed sarpanch murder: Villagers stage 'jal samadhi' protest to demand arrest of accused

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Several people at a village in Maharashtra's Beed held a 'jal samadhi' agitation on Wednesday, demanding arrest of the absconding accused in the case of brutal murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

The protest comes a day after Maharashtra NCP minister Dhananjay Munde's close associate Walmik Karad, wanted in an extortion case linked to the sarpanch's murder, surrendered before police in Pune. He was subsequently remanded in 14-day police custody.

Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat met the protesters and sought 10 days to nab the absconding accused in the murder case.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) is conducting the probe into the murder and extortion cases.

Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Kej tehsil of Beed district, was abducted last month and brutally killed on December 9, allegedly for opposing an extortion bid by some persons who had demanded money from a windmill company.

Police have so far arrested three persons in connection with the murder case while three other accused are at large. Karad and one more person have been arrested in the extortion case.

On Wednesday, several villagers entered a lake in Massajog and stood waist-deep in the water as part of the 'jal samadhi' agitation, demanding arrest of the absconding accused in the murder case.

One of the protesters told reporters, "Santosh Deshmukh should get justice. Even after 23 days (of murder), three accused in the case are still absconding." "What is the police administration doing? The accused should be arrested and hanged to death. Therefore, the villagers have entered the water as a mark of protest," he said.

SP Kanwat later met the agitators after calling all of them out of the lake.

"I have met the agitators and interacted with them regarding their expectations from the police department. They are demanding proper investigation and that the accused be arrested soon. The involvement of the accused (in other related cases) should also be investigated," he said.

The official said they were making "100 per cent" efforts to nab the three absconding accused.

"The people have given us ten days, but it is possible the results may come out before that as our teams are working to nab the accused and it is our prime target," Kanwat said.

After Deshmukh's murder, the Kej police had registered the case against Sudarshan Ghule and five other unidentified persons.

Later, the complainant, Shivraj Deshmukh, a relative of the deceased sarpanch, identified the other accused.

Out of the six accused, the police have so far arrested Pratik Ghule, Jayram Chate and Mahesh Kedar, while three others --Sudarshan Ghule, Sudhir Sangle and Krushna Andhale -- are yet to be apprehended, as per officials.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home department, on Tuesday said he spoke with Santosh Deshmukh's brother over phone, and assured him that justice will be done.

"Until the guilty are hanged to death, the police will continue to do their duty. All individuals involved in the Beed case will face prosecution. We will not tolerate 'goonda raj' (rule of criminals)....Nobody will be spared," he told reporters.