Beed: In a shocking incident at Sasure village in Barshi tehsil of Solapur district, former deputy sarpanch Govind Barge (34) from Gevrai tehsil of Beed district shot himself dead inside his car, right outside the house of a woman he was in love with.
Barge, who was married, had allegedly fallen deeply in love with Pooja Gaikwad (21), a dancer attached to a local art troupe. Sources said Gaikwad had stopped speaking to Barge in recent days, leaving him depressed. Despite repeated phone calls, she reportedly did not respond, which pushed him into despair.
According to relatives, Barge had showered Pooja with expensive gifts, including a costly mobile phone and gold ornaments. However, when she began distancing herself, he grew increasingly frustrated. On Monday at midnight, he drove to her house at Sasure, locked himself in his car, and shot himself with a firearm.
Family members of the deceased have lodged a police complaint against Pooja Gaikwad, accusing her of exploiting Barge emotionally and financially. The complaint alleges that Gaikwad took large sums of money and gold from Barge, purchasing plots and land in the names of her aunt and other relatives.
It has also been alleged that she demanded five acres of farmland be transferred in her brother’s name and that a newly built house in Gevrai be registered in her own name. The complaint further states that she threatened Barge with a rape case if he failed to meet her demands.
Police have registered the complaint and initiated an inquiry.
