'Why Has Maharashtra Become So Cruel?'

'What attitude has spawned such gruesomeness in the state of Saint Tukaram, Saint Dnyaneshwar, and great leaders like Chhatrapati Shivaji, Chhatrapati Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar?'

Former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal raised issues about Maharashtra's selective outrage over brutal, gruesome killings and the torture endured by four youths before they were silenced forever.

The Maharashtra assembly was unusually tense on March 5 as Bhujbal took the floor with an impassioned speech, demanding justice for four men -- Santosh Deshmukh, Somnath Suryawanshi, Mauli Sot, and Kailas Borhade -- three of who had met horrifying deaths in recent months.

While Santosh Deshmukh's murder dominated headlines leading to Dhananjay Munde's resignation as a minister, the other two killings -- where victims belonged to the Dalit and OBC community -- did not provoke the same outrage, Bhujbal seemed to suggest as he spoke for 15 non-stop, undisturbed, minutes, holding every elected representative's attention in the assembly.

Bhujbal's voice trembled with anger and pathos as he asked, "Why has Maharashtra -- this land of saints like Tukaram and Dnyaneshwar, great revolutionaries like Chhatrapati Shivaji, (Jyotiba) Phule, Shahu and (Babasaheb) Ambedkar -- become so cruel?"

He urged the Speaker to see these victims not as Marathas, Dalits, or Dhangars (shepherds, an OBC caste), but as human beings.

The four cases -- three murders and one murderous torture -- that Bhujbal highlighted and made a fervent plea seeking justice for all.

Santosh Deshmukh: The Murder That Shook Maharashtra

Beed district had never witnessed a crime so brazen, so merciless. Santosh Deshmukh, a local sarpanch, was abducted in broad daylight.

His captors -- allegedly connected to Dhananjay Munde, who has now resigned after a chargesheet was filed against his close aide and the main accused Walmik Karad, -- revealed the extent of brutality heaped on Deshmukh before he was killed.

For hours, he was beaten with iron rods, his ribs cracking under each blow. The perpetrators laughed as Deshmukh screamed in pain.

"They even urinated on him when he asked for water," a visibly anguished Bhujbal said in the House and demanded strictest of punishment for Deshmukh's killers.

Somnath Suryawanshi: The Forgotten Death in Police Custody

In December 2024, Parbhani, Maharashtra, witnessed a tragedy that some say exposed deep-seated caste discrimination and police brutality.

It began when a replica of the Constitution near an Ambedkar statue was desecrated, sparking Dalit protests.

In response, police raided Dalit settlements, arresting around 50 people, including 35-year-old law student Somnath Suryawanshi, a member of the Vadar (scheduled caste) community.

Somnath, known for his dedication to education, was taken into custody from Shankar Nagar and detained for two days.

Inside the police station, he was subjected to brutal torture -- stripped naked, hung upside down, and beaten mercilessly with lathis soaked in oil to prevent external marks.

When he begged for water, officers poured hot tea down his throat. His body could not withstand the torture, and by December 15, he was dead.

The police claimed he had suffered a heart attack, but the autopsy revealed 'shock due to multiple injuries', confirming the violence he endured.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing the assembly in Nagpur, stated Somnath had breathing issues but claimed he hadn't reported police torture in court. He then announced an SIT probe and the suspension of one officer.

Despite local protests, Somnath's death failed to stir Maharashtra's collective conscience, underscoring the selective outrage and systemic neglect of Dalit lives.

"Even some cops are participating in custodial torture," Bhujbal pointed out.

"The recent case of Somnath Suryawanshi, who belonged to the Vadar community, died in police custody in Parbhani. BJP MLA from Beed Suresh Dhas pleaded that on humanitarian grounds there should not be any case filed against the cops under whose custody Suryawanshi died," Bhujbal told the assembly.

"It is utterly shameful that a person (Dhas) who has so stridently campaigned against Walmik Karad and Dhananjay Munde should ask for forgiveness for the killers of Suryawanshi just because he belonged to the Vadar community -- just because this time the killers were cops.

"Doesn't the Constitution of India give Suryawanshi the same rights as it gives to Deshmukh? Was Suryawanshi not a human? Was he an animal?"

Mauli Sote: Lynched for Love

In October 2024, 18-year-old Mauli Sote from Takali village in Latur district, Maharashtra, was brutally assaulted due to a suspected romantic involvement.

On October 27, six individuals attacked Mauli with sticks and rods, leading to severe injuries. He was immediately hospitalised and remained under medical care until he succumbed to his injuries on January 6, 2025.

The six accused -- Govind Dure, Gopal Dure, Kamalakar Dure, Manoj Dure, Kumar Upade, and Om Khedkar -- were arrested shortly after the incident.

Following Mauli's death, authorities escalated the charges to murder. The accused are currently in judicial custody as the investigation continues.

This tragic event has drawn parallels to the storyline of the Marathi film Sairat, which portrays societal challenges faced by inter-caste couples. The incident has sparked discussions about caste dynamics and the need for societal introspection in Maharashtra.

Mauli's death underscores the persistent issues of caste-based violence and societal intolerance in the region.

It highlights the urgent need for addressing deep-seated prejudices to prevent such tragedies in the future and how violence and torture are being routinely normalised and justified for brutal lynchings over love affair.

Kailas Borhade: Tortured with a Hot Iron Rod

Jalna district's Anwa village witnessed a horrifying act of brutality when 36-year-old Kailas Govinda Borhade was attacked over an old land dispute.

On the night of February 24, Borhade was mercilessly beaten by two brothers, Bhagwat Daund and Navnath Daund, in a premeditated assault that left him gravely injured.

The attackers used a hot iron rod as a weapon of torture, pressing it against Borhade's body, causing severe burns all over his body. Along with the burns, he was also subjected to a violent beating, leaving him with multiple injuries.

The attack, which took place under the cover of darkness, was so severe that Borhade had to be rushed to a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for urgent medical treatment.

The brutal nature of the crime sent shockwaves through the local community, prompting police action. Following Borhade's statement, an FIR was registered against the accused, but both attackers fled the scene. Law enforcement authorities, under pressure to act, launched a manhunt to apprehend the suspects.

While highlighting these murders and torture in the assembly Bhujbal pleaded for the need for an urgent, collective effort to demolish such attitudes, these incidents has raised concerns about law and order in Maharashtra, highlighting the persistence of violent disputes and the ruthless methods employed in acts of vengeance without having any fear for the rule of law.