Beed Sarpanch murder: Maharashtra Congress leader calls for strictest punishment and fast-track trial

Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat pays his tributes to Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, who was murdered on December 9. Pic/X

Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat on Wednesday demanded the strictest punishment for the attackers and masterminds behind the murder of Beed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh after visiting his family. He also called for the case to be fast-tracked in court, news agency PTI reported.

Deshmukh was abducted and murdered on December 9, sparking a political uproar, with the Opposition accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti government of failing to take firm action and of shielding an aide of a minister.

"The brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh has shocked Maharashtra and tarnished humanity. The government must act immediately to ensure the strictest punishment for the perpetrators and masterminds behind this heinous crime," Thorat said after meeting the sarpanch's family in Massajog Village of Beed district.

According to PTI, Deshmukh's family demanded "justice" during Thorat's visit.

"The murder is deeply distressing and has shaken the entire state. The murderers and those who orchestrated this act must be immediately apprehended and dealt with the harshest punishment," Thorat added.

The former minister called for a thorough investigation to uncover the mastermind behind the crime and those responsible for spreading fear in Beed and across Maharashtra, PTI reported.

"Justice must be served swiftly, and the case should be taken up in a fast-track court to ensure that the culprits, regardless of caste or religion, face the full force of the law," he said.

The senior leader stressed that lawlessness should not be allowed to go unchecked, as it can deteriorate into very bad consequences. "The fear of law should be instilled in criminals, but the current situation shows that the administration lacks control," he stated.

Thorat also claimed that such crimes frequently occur in Beed district, but police fail to register first information reports (FIR), which he deemed "highly unfortunate".

"The Congress party will always stand firmly with the family of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh," he added.

Beed Sarpanch had tried to stop extortion, say police

The sarpanch's murder case is being investigated by the Crime Investigation Department (CID).

The arrested accused in the case: Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar, and Pratik Ghule were remanded in police custody till January 6 by a court in Maharashtra on Monday. A fourth suspect, Vishnu Chate, is in police custody till Friday.

According to the police, Vishnu Chate allegedly demanded Rs 2 crore from an energy company that had installed a windmill in Beed district, threatening to halt its operations if the money was not paid. Deshmukh had intervened to stop the extortion, which led to his abduction. He is believed to have been tortured and killed by the accused. Seven people, including Vishnu Chate, have been booked in the case.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former minister Amit Deshmukh said that the alleged descecration of a replica of the Constitution in Parbhani and the Beed Sarpanch murder were a "stain" on the progressive history of Maharashtra. "We demand the immediate arrest of the culprits behind these two incidents and justice for the victims' families," he said.

On December 10, violence erupted in Parbhani after a glass-enclosed replica of the Constitution near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue outside the city's railway station was vandalised. Somnath Suryavanshi, 35, who was arrested among more than 50 persons in connection with the violence, died at a state-run hospital after falling ill in judicial custody.

Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi, who met Suryavanshi's family on Monday, claimed he was "killed" because he was a Dalit and was protecting the Constitution.

(With PTI inputs)