Mumbai: Amid concerns raised by ruling and Opposition parties over the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh and the deteriorating law and order situation in Beed district, the NCP(SP) President, Sharad Pawar on Monday appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to review the security arrangements of peoples’ representatives and other leaders, who face threats to their lives from local goons, and provide them with appropriate police protection through the state government.
In a two-page letter, Pawar said, “Santosh Deshmukh, the Sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was brutally murdered by some goons a month ago. Although a long time has passed since this brutal incident, there is a public perception that Deshmukh’s killer is still at large.
“Therefore, it is evident that this entire incident has a very serious criminal background.”
He further stated, “Santosh Deshmukh’s murder that has tarnished humanity is not just one, but one of many incidents like murder, kidnapping, extortion and false cases that have taken place in the Beed-Parli area in the past, so these incidents should be investigated.
“There is a possibility that many incidents are interconnected. Overall, since there is a possibility that a series of cases may come to light during the investigation, the question of the safety of the peoples’ representatives and other respected persons who address the public from this platform has arisen.”
“I request you to take timely precautions so that there is no threat to the lives and health of peoples’ representatives and other leaders who are raising their voices against this incident, and also to review their security arrangements and provide appropriate police protection through the state government,” the senior Pawar reiterated.
Pawar said that sarpanch Deshmukh’s brutal killing by some goons had led to protests across Maharashtra demanding the immediate arrest of the absconding accused and the masterminds behind it.
He said that the first protest march in Beed district in this regard was to convey the seriousness of this incident to the Maharashtra government.
He added that the protest condemned the incident that crossed all limits of cruelty, by setting aside caste, religion and party differences.
There was a unanimous demand for the immediate arrest of the absconding accused and the masterminds behind it and for strict governance.
“During the protest, several legislators including Sandeep Kshirsagar, Prakash Solanke, Jitendra Aghadi, Abhimanyu Pawar and Suresh Dhas as well as Beed MP Bajrang Sonawane expressed their strong concerns over the murder and the prevailing law and order situation in Beed.
“They named the goons involved in the incident, the mastermind of the incident and the persons responsible for the incident. The media is also playing an important role in ensuring an immediate investigation into this incident that has tarnished the cultured tradition of Maharashtra,” said Pawar.
(IANS)
