Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Maharashtra’s Beed district till January 28 in view of the reservation-related agitation by Maratha and Other Backward Class (OBC) workers to protest against the murder of a sarpanch.
The Beed district administration, in a release issued on Monday, said that gathering of five or more people without the permission of the authorities has been banned and people are not allowed to carry weapons in public places.
Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Masajog village in Beed district, was kidnapped, tortured and then murdered on December 9.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the sarpanch had attempted to foil an extortion attempt from an energy company operating a windmill project in the area.
Cage police have so far arrested seven people in this murder case, while another accused is absconding. Police have also arrested Valmik Karad, an aide of state minister Dhananjay Deshmukh, in an extortion case.
Leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties have protested in Beed demanding justice.
In neighboring Jalna, Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange has announced that he will start an indefinite fast from January 25 to press for other demands of the Maratha community, including reservation in jobs and education under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
On the other hand, OBC workers are agitating to ensure that there is no hindrance in their reservation.
