NCP MLA among those arrested for Shiv Sena leaders' murder
What's the story
Following the murder of two Shiv Sena leaders in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, on Saturday evening, police have booked 31 people and arrested four including National Congress Party (NCP) MLA Sangram Jagtap. Jagtap's arrest triggered infuriated NCP workers to storm and ransack the Ahmednagar police superintendent's office. There is heavy police deployment in the city to check unrest, but Ahmednagar continues to be tense. Here's more.
Details
NCP MLA is not the prime suspect in the murder
Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Kotkar and Vasant Thube were killed on Saturday after being attacked with sharp weapons. Jagtap was arrested along with Sandeep Gunjal, Balasaheb Kotkar and Bhanudas Kotkar. Police believe Gunjal to be the prime suspect. The four were booked by the Ahmednagar police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 302 for murder.
Political backdrop
The murder came after Congress won civic bypolls
The double murder, which came on the back of Congress leader Vishal Kotkar winning the civic bypolls for the Kedgaon ward of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation, sparked tension in the area. Shops and commercial establishments were quick to close their shutters. The bypoll was necessitated after former mayor and Congress member Sandeep Kotkar was convicted in a 2008 murder case.
Unrest
Shiv Sena stage protests and call bandhs following murders
Following the double murder, Shiv Sena supporters staged a protest at the murder site for hours, and police were blocked from removing the bodies of the leaders. On Saturday evening, Shiv Sena members also held a 'rasta-roko' protest which stopped traffic movement on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway. Kedgaon market areas remain closed today under a bandh called by the local Shiv Sena unit.