On 21st March, two schoolboys from Adivasi community, Prashant Dhele and Anand Ingle, from Lohara village in Akola’s Balapur taluka were allegedly beaten mercilessly by a police officer. Reportedly, the police official, identified as Assistant Police Inspector Gopal Dhole of Urla Police Station, took the adverse step as the schoolboys had kept a WhatsApp status featuring an image of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on horseback. The incident took place around 7 AM, triggering widespread anger among villagers. They marched to the district’s Superintendent of Police (SP) office and demanded strict action against the police personnel involved.
SHOCKING! OUTRAGEOUS!
— Treeni (@TheTreeni) March 23, 2025
In Akola, Maharashtra, the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a PSI named Gopal Dhole brutally tortured two Hindu youths.
Reason: The youths had posted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's status on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti.
Gopal Dhole claimed that the… pic.twitter.com/LUfirgmffy
The accused officer reportedly lost his temper after he saw the WhatsApp status of the schoolboys. According to a report in Marathi newspaper Ajinkya Bharat, locals said that Dhole summoned the two boys and brutally thrashed them with a baton. The students sustained injuries and had to be admitted to a local hospital for treatment.
The act of alleged custodial violence sparked outrage among the villagers. Over fifty residents from Lohara gathered at the Akola SP Bachchan Singh’s office and lodged a formal complaint against Inspector Dhole, demanding his immediate suspension. In their complaint, they called the assault inhumane and a gross misuse of police power. Villagers highlighted that the incident was not only dangerous but showed the high-handedness of the police. They urged the authorities to take swift action to ensure justice.
Sakal Hindu Samaj staged a protest outside the SP’s office and demanded swift action. Speaking to the media, Rajeet Gawande, a Hindu activist, called it a deeply condemnable incident. He said, “It is deeply condemnable that police officers are targeting Hindu youths and assaulting them so inhumanely. If Inspector Gopal Dhole has any courage, let him shut down the illegal rackets and slaughterhouses operating in his jurisdiction.” Reports suggest that similar complaints have emerged in the past against Inspector Gopal Dhole. However, no action was taken against him by senior officials.
Following the protest by the locals, the SP ordered an internal inquiry into the matter. Police have not released an official statement on the matter. However, media reports suggest that the senior officials are taking the matter seriously.
OpIndia tried contacting the concerned police station but could not connect.
