Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday vowed that no one would be allowed to intimidate the people of Beed district, where a village sarpanch was recently abducted and murdered. He asserted that hooliganism in any form will not be tolerated in the district.

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted from near a toll booth and tortured to death by some persons on December 9. Valmiki Karad, a close associate of Minister Dhananjay Munde, has been implicated in the case, sparking allegations against Munde as well.

The murder created an uproar across the state and was discussed during the winter session of the Assembly. Fadnavis informed the Assembly that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will investigate the case along with a judicial inquiry.

The murder has also sparked strong political reactions. BJP MLA Suresh Dhas has demanded strict action against the accused in the murder case and urged the immediate arrest of the absconding accused.

Additionally, there is mounting pressure for the CM to assume the role of Guardian Minister of Beed. Addressing the issue, Fadnavis said, “Who will take the role of Guardian Minister for Beed? This decision will be made collectively by me, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.”

While speaking about the incidents in Beed and Parbhani, MP Supriya Sule stated that these incidents are disturbing and are not something any state should be proud of. In response to Sule, Fadnavis said, “Maharashtra is safer than any other state in the country. However, politicizing every incident is not fitting for the opposition.”