In a recent update, the local crime branch in Beed has arrested one more suspect in connection with the murder of former sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Earlier, Within the next 12 hours of the crime, the other two individuals Jairam Chate and Mahesh Kedar were taken into custody. A court on Wednesday remanded them to police custody until December 17.
Additionally, Pratik Ghule, another accused, is said to have been in the SUV during Deshmukh's kidnapping and was allegedly present when Deshmukh was murdered. According to Additional SP Sachin Pandkar, multiple teams are actively searching for other suspects involved in the case.
In the aftermath of the crime, the last rites of the deceased were carried out with heavy police presence. Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange has called for the case to be tried in a fast-track court and for the accused to be sentenced to death. Beed MP Bajrang Sonawane, who is currently in Delhi, has reportedly reached out to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urged that the investigation be transferred to the CID.
In protest, villagers blocked the Beed-Latur Road for 12 hours on Tuesday, demanding the arrest of all the accused. They also set fire to a state transport bus. Preliminary investigations suggest that the murder may be linked to a dispute involving an altercation on Friday between a man and officials from the Avada Wind Energy project at Massajog. A viral video captured the incident, in which Deshmukh, a three-time sarpanch, intervened on behalf of local security guards and played a role in getting an FIR filed against several individuals.
On Monday afternoon, around 3 pm, Santosh, accompanied by his cousin Shivraj Deshmukh, was traveling by car towards Massajog when a black SUV blocked their path near the Dongav Phata toll plaza. Six men emerged from the vehicle, attacked Santosh, and forcibly abducted him. His body, bearing serious injuries, was found hours later near Dahitana Phata on the Kej-Nandur Ghat road.
In response to this incident, Beed MP Bajrang Sonwane has requested a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. He met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and provided a formal letter highlighting the district's worsening law and order situation.
In his letter, MP Sonwane expressed concerns about the alarming governance in Beed. He pointed out that outside influences are undermining the police force, making it ineffective and biased. He accused the police of being manipulated by external actors, allowing serious criminal activities—including sand, land, and gutkha mafias, extortion, murder, and illegal arms trade—to flourish.
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Sonwane urged for a CBI investigation into these incidents, citing a widespread lack of trust in the local police. He also called for a special team from a central security agency to be sent to Beed district to oversee police operations, ensuring that officers act fairly and without external influence. Furthermore, he demanded that cases be filed against windmill companies accused of using intimidation and violence to silence opposition.