Bandh in Beed after videos, photos linked to sarpanch’s murder go viral

Pune: Various social and political outfits in Beed district observed bandh on Tuesday after shocking videos and photos of the brutal murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh went viral on social media. The situation in some areas turned tense as members of various Maratha outfits took out a bike rally amid incident of arson in the city. In Kaij town of the district, marketplaces were shut and public transport services stayed off the roads.

The protestors were demanding action against suspects arrested in the sarpanch murder case as minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde resigned in the morning on the instructions of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The ongoing Maratha-OBC reservation row and the murder of Deshmukh have kept the district on edge since past few months over caste faultlines.

Navneet Kanwat, superintendent of police, Beed, has appealed to citizens to not take the law into their own hands. Police appeal leaflet issued states that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a charge sheet in the court in the murder case of Deshmukh. Some photos and videos related to the killing of the sarpanch surfaced on social media attracting widespread reactions.

The state CID on February 27 filed a more than 1,200-page charge sheet at a court in Beed in Deshmukh’s murder and two related cases.

“We appeal to citizens to maintain law and order. The photos and videos are part of the judicial investigation process,” Kanwat said.

NCP (SP) MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar said, “The photos and videos related to the brutal killing shows the inhuman side of the accused. The bandh call is in response to what the citizens are feeling regarding the brutality in the way the sarpanch was murdered.”

In one of the videos, five accused, including Sudarshan Ghule, are seen thrashing Deshmukh with a white pipe and a wooden stick besides kicking and punching him. The video shows the half-naked Deshmukh forced to sit on the ground.

In another video screenshot, Ghule is seen forcing Deshmukh to chant “Sudarshan Ghule is the father of all”. Another accused urinates on the sarpanch who is seen bleeding profusely, according to the chargesheet.

Sandeep Kshirsagar, Beed MLA from NCP (SP), said, “There is anger among people of Beed and the bandh is observed to seek justice.”

In view of the bandh, additional district magistrate Shivkumar Swamy has issued prohibitory orders in the district as a precautionary measure till March 17.

The prohibitory orders have been issued under Section 37 (1) (3) of the Maharashtra Police Act which impose restrictions like no public gatherings without prior permission, any gathering of five or more people including rallies, protests, demonstrations and sit-ins.

Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange-Patil has also indicated that he would be visiting Massajog to meet the family members of Deshmukh on Tuesday.