Modi rakes up sadhus' killing at Palghar to target rivals in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday raked up the sensational killing of sadhus in the Palghar district of Maharashtra during the tenure of Uddhav Thackeray to target his rivals.

Addressing a rally in Parbhani in the Marathwada region, Modi launched a scathing attack at the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government which was in power in Maharashtra from November 2019-June 2022.

"These people should not get a space in Maharashtra...they celebrated after the killing of sadhus in Palghar,” Modi said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, two Nashik-based in sadhus, Kalpavriksha Giri Maharaj (70), Sushil Giri Maharaj (35) - belonged to the Varanasi-headquartered Shri Panch Dashnam Juna Akhara, the biggest order of sadhus in India - and their driver Nilesh Telgade (30), were brutally lynched to death on 16 April, 2020 in the Gadchinchale village in Dahanu tehsil of Palghar district, nearly 120 kms from Mumbai.

The Kasa police station in Palghar initially registered the FIR, however, later the probe was handed over to the State-CID.

Once the Shinde-government assumed office, the case was handed over to the CBI.

Over 250 persons have been arrested in the case.