Special Correspondent
Beed: Villagers from Massajog resorted to a unique form of protest by stepping into a local water body, demanding the immediate arrest of the absconding accused in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case. The agitation, which saw significant participation from both men and women, lasted for over an hour and was called off only after Superintendent of Police Navneet Kawath intervened.
The villagers urged SP Kawath to expedite the arrests of the remaining accused. Assuring the protesters, Kawath stated that efforts were in full swing to apprehend the three absconding accused and requested a timeframe of 10 days to accomplish this. He also informed the villagers that the Deshmukh family had been provided protection and that the government had issued a GR (Government Resolution) regarding the formation of an SIT (Special Investigation Team) for the case.
The protest stemmed from mounting frustration among the villagers over the delay in arresting the remaining accused. Despite 22 days having passed since the murder, three suspects—Sudarshan Ghule, Krishna Andhale, and Sudhir Sangle—remain at large. While four suspects—Jayram Chate, Mahesh Kedar, Pratik Ghule, and Vishnu Chate—have already been arrested, the slow progress prompted the villagers to take action.
One of the key accused, Valmik Karad, alleged to be the mastermind behind the crime, had surrendered at the State Crime Investigation Department (CID) office in Pune. Following his surrender, his assets were seized, and the bank accounts of his relatives were frozen as part of the investigation.
Social activist Anjali Damania has also raised concerns, speculating that the absconding accused might have been killed.
The protest highlighted the villagers’ determination to seek justice for Santosh Deshmukh and keep the pressure on law enforcement to ensure timely action.
