The Maharashtra CID has summoned the local gram panchayat member from the Nationalist Congress Party in connection to the Palghar lynching case. As per reports, he was present at the site when the incident took place.
NCP Leader was brought to Kasa police station to note his eye-witness account, his role, and his knowledge about the incident. Reports suggest that Kashinath was spotted in one of the videos of the brutal killing of the Dashnami Sadhus and their driver. The local residents stated that Kashinath and three CPM leaders Vishnu Paatra, Subhash Bhavar, and Dharma Bhavar were present at the site when the three people were lynched to death.
However, the police said that Kashinath was taken to the spot by the police to stop the mob.
Palghar lynching incident
On 16th April 2020, two Seers associated with the Juna Akhara, 70-year-old Kalpavrishka Giri Maharaj, and 35-year-old Sushil Giri Maharaj along with their driver 30-year-old Nilesh Telgadewere were on their way from Mumbai to Gujarat to give Samadhi to another Sadhu. At Gadakchinchale village, a wild and frenzied crowd of over more than 100 people attacked them. The villagers deemed them as thieves and started attacking them. The police claim that their team which had rushed to the spot to rescue the 70-year-old man also came under the attack of the violent mob.
But later videos emerged which completely debunked the claim of police, as it was seen that the sadhus were in the custody of the police, but the police personnel handed them over to the mob. The mob then proceeded them to beat them to death in front of the policemen.
Arrests made in the mob lynching case
The authorities on Sunday filed an FIR against the villagers and 110 people including 9 juveniles have been arrested so far. 101 have been sent to judicial custody till April 30 while the juveniles have been sent to the juvenile shelter home. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh released the name of those who were arrested alleging that the opposition is trying to make it a communal issue.
