Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A group of women attacked a local farmer couple with a sickle and a pitchfork after being asked to remove their goats from a cotton field. The farmer’s wife, Rekha Thange, suffered serious injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The attack took place at 8.30 am on Friday in the Bidkin area.
Farmer Devchand Thange told police that the women were grazing their goats in his cotton field (Survey No. 67), damaging the crops. When he and his wife tried to remove the animals, five women Rohini Chavan, Sampatti Chavan, Ghons, and two others along with their relatives, attacked the couple. Rekha Thange was struck with both a pitchfork and a sickle. After receiving first aid in the village, she was moved to a private hospital for further treatment. Based on their complaint, Bidkin police registered a case on Saturday.
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Threats made by the attackers
When asked to remove the goats, the attackers allegedly threatened, “Do you not recognize us? We will burn your sugarcane; no one can touch our land.” These threats were mentioned in the complaint filed by the Thange couple.
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Farmers protest at police station
Some of the accused already have prior criminal cases and often harass local farmers. However, no concrete action has been taken by the police in this case, angering the farmers. Even two days after the attack, the accused had not been arrested, prompting farmers, including women, to stage a protest at Bidkin police station on Monday, demanding action against the group.