Behind Munde’s resignation, a sarpanch’s murder and a village that relentlessly pushed for justice

Since his murder on December 9 – allegedly by local strongmen with links to the NCP – his family has seen a constant stream of visitors, from well-wishers to politicians and social activists.

The family, which hails from Barshi tehsil around 80 kilometres from Massajog, shifted here around 50 years ago and settled at Deshmukh’s uncle’s home.

When The Indian Express visited the village, a pandal had been erected alongside a local temple, where Deshmukh’s brother Dhananjay sat on the ground, receiving those who came to pay their condolences.

On a table was a garlanded photo of Deshmukh and text in Marathi that read: “Nyay pahije (need justice).” Another poster in the village read, “Aamcha rajala nyay pahije (justice for our king).”

“He was known to help anyone who approached him. He never cared for what the post of sarpanch would get him; only the development of the village. That is why he held the post for 15 years,” said Mihi More, 70, a resident.

On December 9, Deshmukh was kidnapped in broad daylight, shoved into a black Scorpio, and allegedly assaulted for around three hours before he succumbed. His body was dumped on a road near his village. The post-mortem indicates he died “due to haemorrhage and shock due to multiple injuries”.

He is survived by his elderly parents, wife, and two children aged 13 and 17.

Police say their investigation so far suggests the murder stemmed from a brawl between Deshmukh and the four arrested accused on December 6 at the site of a windmill energy project being executed by Avada Energy in Massajog village. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)

Four people have been arrested so far – NCP’s former Beed tehsil president Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Karad and Pratik Ghule. Following his arrest, Vishnu Chate was expelled by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP on December 14. Three others are absconding – Sudarshan Ghule, Krushna Andhale and Sudhir Sangle.

The family has also alleged the involvement of Walmik Karad, a relative of the main accused Vishnu Chate. Karad is a group leader in Parli Nagar Parishad, president of the Ladki Bahin Yojana in Beed, and NCP’s member of the Beed district planning committee. Both Karad and Chate were named in an extortion FIR filed just days before the murder.

Dhananjay, the victim’s brother, claimed Deshmukh was killed because he tried to prevent an extortion racket being run by the accused. “They wanted to set an example through my brother,” he said. Deshmukh’s elder child, Vaibhavi, who is in class 12, also demanded prompt action against the accused and said she would take part in an all-party protest being organised in Beed on December 28.

The issue also rocked the winter assembly session, with opposition legislators staging protests and demanding the arrest of the accused. A BJP MLA from the district shared details in the assembly of how Deshmukh was allegedly tortured.

While the Opposition criticised the Fadnavis government’s “failure to maintain law and order” in Beed, even leaders of the ruling dispensation pointed fingers at Karad.

Amid demands that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis address the issue, he announced a judicial probe and transferred the Beed district superintendent of police. He also said the murder would be probed by a Special Investigation Team headed by an Inspector General-level rank officer.

Fadnavis informed the assembly that Karad has been booked for extortion under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act and would also be booked in Deshmukh’s murder if his role is found.

The case

Police say their investigation so far suggests the murder stemmed from a brawl between Deshmukh and the four arrested accused on December 6 at the site of a windmill energy project being executed by Avada Energy in Massajog village.

According to the police, on December 6, four persons, including accused Sudarshan and Pratik Ghule, went to the project site and allegedly abused and assaulted a security guard and the project manager after they were stopped from entering.

The security guard, who belongs to Massajog village, alerted Deshmukh since he was the sarpanch. Deshmukh rushed to the site along with a few villagers and the two groups engaged in a brief clash, his family members, villagers and the police told The Indian Express.

Later that evening, the project manager lodged an extortion complaint with the police, based on which an FIR was filed. Chate, Karad and another person were accused of demanding Rs 2 crore from the firm that is installing a windmill in the district. The accused were arrested and released on bail.

On December 9, according to an FIR registered with the Kaiz police station by Deshmukh’s cousin Shivraj, when they were heading to their village in a vehicle, they were intercepted by a black Scorpio near Dongaon toll plaza around 3:15 pm. According to the FIR, six persons with rods, stones and beer bottles exited the SUV, assaulted both of them and forced Deshmukh into their vehicle.

Shivraj said he informed Deshmukh’s brother Dhananjay over the phone and asked him to reach the police station to lodge a complaint. Around 6:30 pm, the police found Deshmukh’s body dumped in the area.

“As soon as we got to know about the abduction, I rushed to the police station. The police team started looking, but they could not trace him. Meanwhile, since Shivraj had recognised the accused as supporters of Vishnu Chate, I called him directly. He initially said he would look into it and later called me saying my brother would return in some time,” Dhananjay claimed.

“In two hours, we spoke 36 times over the phone but my brother did not return. During this time, I kept requesting the police to trace my brother, but they took it lightly. They said I should continue to be in touch with Chate and inform the police once he returns. After four hours, we received information that my brother’s body had been found. It was only then that the police took the official complaint,” Dhananjay alleged.

However, a senior officer denied the family’s claims that there was laxity in police action.