Killing of four kids of family shocks Raver

Three suspects have been arrested, according to local police

The brutal killing of four siblings in Raver tehsil in Jalgaon district has rattled the Khandesh region of Maharashtra.

The ghastly incident involving the minors was reported from the Borkheda village in Raver.

The victims – from the Bhilala family - were identified as Sangita (13), Rahul (11), Anil (8) and Suman (6) – and all were hacked to death by an axe. The girl is suspected to have been sexually assaulted.

The incident was reported on Friday when their parents – Maytab Bhilala and his wife Rumali, their elder son Sanjay (16) - had gone to Khargone district in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh for the tenth-day ritual of a relative.

Their bodies were recovered from a room in a banana farm, Raver police said, adding that three suspects have been arrested.

A local farmer spotted the bodies in a pool of blood and informed the police.

Over the weekend, Maharashtra’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and Minister of Water Supply and Sanitation and Jalgaon Rural MLA Gulabrao Patil visited the village and pacified the local Adivasi population, who were demanding immediate action.

“The police are investigating the matter and the trial would be held in a fast-track court,” Deshmukh said.

“This is an extremely tragic incident and the culprit must be given the strictest punishment,” said Patil.

Immediately, he appointed advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the Special Public Prosecutor. Incidentally, Nikam, who had handled several high-profile cases, hails from Jalgaon.

“What has happened is shocking,” said Deshmukh.

Nashik Range’s Special Inspector General of Police Pratap Dighavkar, Jalgaon Collector Abhijeet Raut and Superintendent of Police Praveen Mundhe too visited the village and have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Kumar Chintha would head the probe panel.

Veteran BJP leader Eknath Khadse, his daughter and Jalgaon MP Raksha Khadse, MLAs Shirish Chaudhary and Anil Patil visited the village and spoke to them.

The victims are from the Pawara community that is part of the larger Bhil community.