Have asked Maha CM to take strict action against Palghar culprits: CM Yogi

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said he has urged his Maharashtra counterpart to take strict action against the culprits involved in the lynching of three men in Palghar district.

"Spoke to Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray yesterday evening regarding murder of saints of Juna Akhara Swami Kalpvrikshgiri, Swami Sushilgiri and their driver Neelesh Telgarhe. I have urged him to take strict action against the culprits," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

In another tweet, Adityanath said, "The Chief Minister of Maharashtra said that some persons have been arrested, and strict action will be initiated against rest of the accused persons after identifying them."

On Sunday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had said the culprits involved in the lynching of three men in Palghar district will be brought to justice.

"The Palghar incident has been acted upon. The police has arrested all those accused who attacked the 2 sadhus, 1 driver and the police personnel, on the day of the crime itself.

"Nobody guilty in this heinous crime and shameful act will be spared and they will be brought to justice in the strongest way possible," the CM said in late night tweets posted on his official Twitter handle.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has already announced a high-level inquiry into the incident, that occurred on the night of April 16 when three men from Kandivali in Mumbai were headed towards Surat in a car to attend a funeral.

Their vehicle was stopped near a village in Palghar district. The trio was dragged out of the car and beaten to death with sticks by a mob on suspicion that they were thieves.

The deceased were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35), and their car driver Nilesh Telgade (30).

PTI