Acting sternly against the culprits behind the ghastly lynching of two sadhus and their driver in Palghar on Thursday, the Maharashtra Police on Monday arrested 101 persons, including nine minors, in connection with the incident, even as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray ordered the suspension of two policemen, transferred the case to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and deplored the efforts to communalise the crime.
On a day when State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced the arrest of 101 persons in connection with the lynchings, the Chief Minister spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and briefed them about the incident.
Meanwhile, All India president of June Akhara Mahant Prem Giri threatened to stage gherao of Uddhav Thackeray after the lockdown is over and demanded action against the culprits.
Addressing the people across the nation through social media, Uddhav said, “Currently, we are waging a war against coronavirus. Some people are using the incident to vitiate the atmosphere. Though two sadhus were among the three lynched in the incident, please do not give a communal colour to the incident. I have spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah this morning in this regard”.
Dwelling upon the incident, Uddhav said: “This incident took place on the night of April 16 in the jurisdiction of the Kasa police station, which is on the border of the Centrally administered-territory of Dadra Nagar Haveli. The incident happened when two sadhus and their driver were returning to Mumbai, after being stopped at the border. They were attacked at a hinterland area. The incident was triggered by some rumours”.
“The Maharashtra police rushed to the spot and arrested more than 100 persons in connection with the incident. Of the arrested, nine are minor boys. They have been sent to remand home. The other arrested persons have been sent behind bars. We will take stern action against the culprits behind the incident,” the Chief Minister said.
Uddhav said that the State Government had suspended two policemen in connection with the incident. “I have spoken to both Amit Shah and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. There is absolutely no religious context to the incident. It is wrong for the people to give communal colour to the incident. The mob attacked even the policemen who had rushed to the scene. They also damaged their vehicle”.
It may be recalled that on the night of April 16, three persons were lynched by a 200-strong mob of villagers near Kasa town in Maharashtra’s Palghar district on suspicion that they were thieves.
The villagers first hurled stones at the van, prompting the driver to stop the vehicle. Later, they pulled three persons out of the vehicle and beat them to death in Gadhchinchale village on Dabhadi-Khanwel road, with sticks and rods.
The deceased --- identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35) and driver Nilesh Telgade (30) --- were travelling to Surat. Of them one was the diver, while two are residents of Kandivli in north Mumbai. The place where the incident took place is approximately 120 km from Mumbai.
Earlier, State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said: “The incident happened when the three persons were going to Surat in a car from Kandivli in Mumbai. The incident happened after rumours spread that these people had come to kidnap children. A large number of people gathered. .The police opened two rounds of fire to quell the angry crowds. However, they could not control the mobs. ... the inquiry into the incident has been handed over to the Special IG. We have so far arrested 101 persons in connection with the incident”.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) Maharashtra State Committee strongly condemned the shocking incident of mob lynching incident.
“The CPI(M) denounces the absolutely false communal colour that the RSS, BJP are working overtime to give to this incident. The community that attacked does not have any history of communal enmity. The RSS-BJP leaders also know this very well, and yet they are indulging in this false campaign to discredit the State Government,” the CPI(M) Maharashtra said in a statement issued here.
“We also strongly denounce the downright lies and canards that are being spread on Facebook by RSS-BJP leaders Sambit Patra, Sunil Deodhar and others. They have said that the Dahanu Assembly constituency in which this incident took place is a CPI(M) stronghold, it now has a CPI(M) MLA, and they have then shamelessly alleged that the CPI(M) is behind these killings,” the CPI (M) added.
Interestingly, CPI(M) MLA Nikole Vinod Bhiva represents Dahanu constituency where the incident took place. Gadhchinchale village, where the incident took place is a BJP stronghold.
Dr. Ashok Dhawale, who is the president of India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Central Committee Member, CPI(M), tweeted: “Sambit Patra and Sunil Deodhar are not only communalising, but spreading downright lies. The sarpanch of the Gadachinchle village where the mob lynching took place belongs to the BJP, her name is Chitra Choudhari. Many BJP men have been arrested for killing these sadhus”.
