Palghar lynching: Two weeks on, no fresh arrests

Almost two weeks since the lynching of the three men from Mumbai in Palghar no fresh arrests have been made in the case as the tribals involved in the crime continue to give the police the slip The investigating team says a few of them are hiding in the hills and pelt stones at the police whenever they inch closer to themSome others the police say have taken shelter in the houses of relatives in Jawhar forest division while some have crossed the border to hide in Dadra and Nagar HaveliWhile the police continue to hunt for the culprits many of them are a demotivated lot as three more personnel were suspended for dereliction of duty in the lynching case Some of them claim police personnel were also beaten up by the mob and are being suspended and transferred for no fault of theirsPolice on the hunt for the tribalsFled with food and familyAfter lynching the trio ndash Chikne Maharaj 70 Sushil Giri 35 and their cab driver Nilesh Tilghate 30 on the night of April 16 and before the police crackdown next morning almost all the inhabitants of Gadchinchale village and nearby hamlets took off with food and family members including kids said Sonudaji Borsa a watchman at the forest post and a witness to the barbaric incidentHelped by other villagersPolice sources have not ruled out the possibility that residents of other hamlets in the forest supply food and other essentials to the tribals in the night when the police team scales down the hills Police sources told midday that they have received inputs that a few of the tribals have taken shelter at distant relatives houses in Jawhar forest division and some went to Dadra and Nagar HaveliThe villagers are aware of the geography of the jungle and hilly regions of Palghar and Dahanu On April 17 most of them managed to run towards the dense forest and climb the hills Chances are very high that they have crossed the area bordering Dadra and Nagar Haveli as they know the internal jungle routes said a police officerThe investigating team under the supervision of Atulchandra Kulkarni Additional Director General of Police CID Maharashtra Police has also retrieved the dumb data mobile locations etc of the lynching site to track those who were present at the spot either to instigate the mob or kill the trio or out of curiosity Till now the Palghar police have arrested 110 people including nine juveniles in connection with the mob lynching A total of three FIRs have been registered at Kasa police station and the complainants are API Anandrao Kale PSI Sudhir Katare and SDPO Bhagwat Sonawane of Jawhar divisionAt least 19 arrests across borderThe fourth FIR was registered at Khanvel police station after the reinforcement coming from Talasari via Dadra and Nagar Haveli was stopped by a mob of 250 people and the Additional SP was attacked The superintendent of police of Dadra and Nagar Haveli Sharad Darade told midday that 19 accused have been arrested under sections of IPC Disaster Management Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act All are residents of Chisda in Khanvel said Darade who added that the matter is being investigated considering all the angles including the Maoist linkTribals were joblessThe tribals work in the brick factories in Bhiwandi The tribals go to Bhiwandi with their wives and children to work there They remain there for four months and return in June and work for the cultivation of paddy But due to the lockdown all the workers in these factories were sent back home in March Had there been no lockdown all the people would have been working in the brick factories in Bhiwandi said a retired police officerThree more policemen suspendedThree more policemen have been suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the mob lynchingThey include Assistant SubInspector Ravindra Salunkhe and Head Constables Santosh Mukane and Naresh DodiSalunkhe who is set to retire next year is the policeman seen in the video with Chikne Maharaj Those commenting and making decisions based on the video must know that he Salunkhe too was beaten and threatened by the mob on April 16 said a Palghar police officerIt is really discouraging that the policemen are being suspended and transferred for no fault of theirs Transfers and suspensions are very easy for senior police officers But show us the courage to tackle a frenzied mob of 2500 with a handful of policemen challenged a policemanEarlier PSI Katare and API Kale were suspended and 35 policemen attached to Kasa police station were transferredCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news