Beed Sarpanch Murder: Walmik Karad's supporters hurl stones at buses in protest against MCOCA invocation

Walmik Karad. File Pic

Supporters of Walmik Karad, who was arrested in an extortion case connected 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.

Karad, an aide to Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA), an official said.

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In their demonstration, hundreds of his supporters targeted public transport, set tyres ablaze, damaged property, and attempted to block roads while chanting slogans in Karad's favour and calling for a bandh (shutdown), reported news agency PTI.

The protest took place despite the prohibitory orders in Beed district that are effective until January 28. Authorities reported that they have filed two cases related to the damage inflicted during these protests on Tuesday.

The prohibitory orders have been imposed because of the protests against the sarpanch murder case and quota-related agitations by Maratha and OBC activists, PTI stated.

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

The context of these events stems from the abduction, torture, and murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, on December 9. Preliminary investigations indicate that Deshmukh had opposed an extortion attempt targeting an energy firm involved in windmill projects in the area.

So far, the Kej police have arrested seven individuals in connection with the murder, while one more suspect remains at large. On Tuesday, a court placed Karad in 14-day judicial custody.

Beed sarpanch murder: Walmik Karad's mother protests in Beed, demands his release

Parubai Karad, mother of extortion case accused Walmik Karad, staged a protest outside the Parli police station in Beed district on Tuesday, demanding her son's release and claiming his innocence. Karad, an associate of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, was arrested on 31 December 2024, in connection with an extortion case tied to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village.

According to PTI reports, Parubai Karad vocally asserted her son's innocence, stating, "My son has not done anything, and he should be released. Even if my life ends, I will not get up from here." The protest witnessed the participation of approximately 50 of Walmik Karad's supporters, who gathered in solidarity outside the police station.

When questioned about the allegations against her son, Parubai dismissed them as fabricated, saying, "I don't know who is doing this, but this is all fake." She further accused BJP MLA Suresh Dhas and NCP (SP) MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar of falsely implicating her son and demanded their arrest.

(With inputs from PTI)