Shiv Sena activists staged fierce protests in Pune and Thane on Tuesday, demanding capital punishment for those involved in the gruesome murder of Pune sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Deshmukh was allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and murdered on December 9 last year after reportedly attempting to intervene in an extortion attempt targeting an energy company in the district.
Led by the Pune unit president of Shiv Sena, Pramod Bhangire, the protesters burned an effigy of Walmik Karad. Karad, known to be closely associated with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in connection with the extortion case linked to Deshmukh’s murder.
During the protest, Bhangire expressed strong sentiments, stating, "Deshmukh was brutally murdered. We demand capital punishment for the perpetrators."
The protest coincided with significant political developments, as Maharashtra's Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Dhananjay Munde, resigned from his ministerial post earlier in the day following intensified demands for his removal by the opposition.
Disturbing photographs and details from the police chargesheet have emerged, illustrating the extreme cruelty inflicted upon Deshmukh prior to his death. This has further fueled public outrage and political pressure to deliver swift justice.
A parallel demonstration was conducted in Thane, where Shiv Sena supporters, spearheaded by local MP Naresh Mhaske and former Mayor Meenakshi Shinde, gathered outside Anand Ashram. Activists carried placards condemning the brutal killing and demanding swift justice for the Deshmukh family.
Taking to social media platform X, MP Mhaske urged that the case be handled through a fast-track court to ensure prompt justice and called for the death sentence for those convicted.
The murder and subsequent protests have spotlighted deep-rooted issues concerning political violence and law enforcement efficacy in Maharashtra, drawing widespread public and political attention to the case.
