Malharpeth: A seemingly routine village meeting in Marli, descended into chaos on Saturday as heated debate over a local water project spilled into physical altercations. The incident, occurring in the village of Satara's Guardian Minister Shambhuraj Desai, has drawn the attention of local authorities with police superintendent Sameer Sheikh visiting the scene for firsthand assessment. Assistant Police Inspector Uttam Bhapkar is working on the case.
According to police reports, the gram sabha (village council meeting) was convened to address various community concerns. When the discussion turned to the ongoing water project, tensions flared. Former sarpanch (village headman) Pravin Patil reportedly raised concerns about the project's efficiency, sparking a confrontation with former deputy sarpanch Krishna Kadam and current sarpanch Kanchan Patil.
Patil and his associates allegedly engaged in shoving and punching, targeting Kadam and other council members attempting to intervene. Sanjay Patil reportedly slapped Vijay Kadam and Rajendra Patil is said to have run toward Krushna Kadam intending to beat him up. The violence prompted sarpanch Kanchan Patil to file a complaint with the Malharpeth police station. A case has been registered against ten individuals.
The accused, identified as Pravin Patil, Dhanaji Patil, Jitendra Patil, Sandesh Patil, Shubham Patil, Sangram Patil, Sanjay Sanas, Aniket Patil, Sanjay Patil, and Rajendra Patil face charges of assault and disruption of public order.