At the centre of outrage over sarpanch killing, Beed cops say murder cases in 2024 down from 2023

Mumbai, Jan 9 (PTI) Police in Maharashtra's Beed, in the eye of a storm since the December 9 murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, on Thursday said the district recorded 40 murder cases in 2024, which was lower than the 64 witnessed in 2023.

However, the number of cases pertaining to attempt to murder rose from 165 in 2023 to 191 in 2024.

Massajog sarpanch Deshmukh was abducted, tortured and murdered for reportedly trying to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm operating a windmill project, as per police. A murder case and an extortion case linked to the killing are being probed by the CID's special investigation team.

However, Beed police has been severely criticised by social activists and opposition parties for the poor law and order situation, the alleged free run of extortion case key accused Walmik Karad, a close aide of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, and the disproportionate number of gun licences in the district.

"In 2024, we registered 64 cases of murder, which came down by 24 in 2024. We registered 40 murder cases in 2024. In 2023, we managed to solve 60 of the 64 cases, while in 2024 all murder cases were cracked," an official said while disseminating crime statistics of the district.

"The attempt to murder cases increased from 165 in 2023 to 191 in 2024. There were also around 1500 cases of accidental deaths, which include those due to suicides, motor vehicle accidents, drowning, electrocution and snakebites. These cases are from six sub divisions of the district. Parli witnessed 86 such deaths, comprising 63 in the urban area and 23 in the rural parts," he informed.

While action was taken against nine organised gangs in 2023, the figure was five for 2024, the official added.

"Beed police took preventive action against 10,119 persons in 2023. This number rose to 10,951 in 2024," he said.

The law and order situation in Beed district also figured in heated discussions in the Maharashtra assembly.

News reports highlighted incidents where gun licences were issued to persons with crime records.

The issue took centre stage in the state's political discourse after a video of 2023 showed one Kailas Phad, a supporter of Munde, opening fire in the air.

Officials later said Phad was arrested under the Arms Act.

"The proposal to cancel 236 gun licences has been sent to the district collector," the official informed. PTI DC BNM