Seer Mahant Shivaji Maharaj of Narayangad, a religious site in Maharashtra's Beed district, on Tuesday met the family members of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village who was killed two months back.
Deshmukh was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9, 2024, for allegedly trying to stop an extortion bid targeting an energy firm in Beed. Seven persons have been arrested in the murder case. The incident has triggered a political row.
Walmik Karad, a close associate of Maharashtra NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in a related extortion case.
Here's what he said
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mahant Shivaji Maharaj said, "We came to meet the Deshmukh family and tried to ease their pain to some extent. The Deshmukh family had come to Narayangad, but I was not available at that time. I had interacted with them on the phone and told them that I will come to Massajog. Accordingly, we are here today." Another religious leader, Bodhale Maharaj, who also visited Massajog said the murder of the sarpanch was unfortunate.
"People know that saints are the ones with whom they can share their pain," he said.
When asked if "rajsatta" (political power) was proving a hurdle in getting justice in the Deshmukh murder case, he said, "It is tough to speak anything about an incident unless and until it reaches its logical end..." The government and police are working as per their capacity and investigation into the case was on, he said, appealing people to stand behind the Deshmukh family.
