On June 20, a Hindu activist identified as Omkar Bhaganagre was murdered by three persons for raising his voice against illegal businesses being operated in the city of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. The victim was murdered by three persons identified as Nandu Borate, Ganesh Hucche, and Sandeep Guda while he was celebrating his friend’s birthday on the Balikashram road in the city.
The incident is said to have happened on the night of June 19. The three arrived at the Balikashram road on their bikes and attacked Bhaganagre with swords. Later they threw the swords and fled from the spot. According to the local reports, the police are said to have taken cognizance of the incident and have filed a case against the accused persons.
The Police have also arrested three other persons named Ravi Namade, Vaibhav Hucche, and Sagar Guda who seemed to have helped the accused in executing the murder. After the initial interrogation, the police revealed that Vaibhav helped in planning the murder while the other accused named Ravi hid the swords in the Bhingar area post-murder. The three arrested were brought to the court on June 22 and have been awarded 5 days of police custody.
NCP MLA Sangram Jagtap involved, alleges victim’s family
OpIndia tried to dig into the case and found that the victim had earlier complained to the police about illegal business being operated by Ganesh Hucche in the district. He also demanded strict action against Hucche and his gang. However, he was murdered by Hucche, Nandu Borate and Sandeep Guda, all of whom are absconding since the day of the murder.
Further, as per the complaint filed by the brother of the victim, Krushna Bhaganagre, NCP MLA Sangram Jagtap is also said to be involved in the case. As per the complaint, all the illegal businesses operated by accused Ganesh Hucche are owned by the NCP MLA. “He trades in illegal Guthka supply and also illegal liquor supply. My brother, Omkar, and his friend Omkar Gholap had recently lodged a complaint against their illegal businesses. My brother was however murdered after the police took immediate action against those persons,” the complaint read.
Bhaganagre was on target of Jagtap, was also threatened by NCP MLA’s brother
Krushna also stated that the NCP MLA Sangram Jagtap was harassing the victim from the past 5-6 years over a local Ganpati festival community event. He also said that Jagtap had warned Omkar of dire consequences if his demands were not fulfilled. “Sangram Jagtap wanted the control of our Shivshankar Ganpati Mandal and wanted its members, Vishal Bhaganagre and Omkar Bhaganagre to work for him. Later he started harassing Omkar after the duo refused to hand over the Mandal. This continued for 5-6 years. Jagtap and his men also tried to trap Omkar in false police cases just to harass,” Krushna said.
He added that Omkar was also threatened a week before the murder by Vicky Jagtap who is brother of NCP MLA Sangram Jagtap. “Omkar and his friend Omka Gholap were called by Vicky in his Wadia Park office and were issued a ‘final warning’ on behalf of the NCP MLA. Vicky had said to Omkar that he would be dealt with brutally if he does not surrender to the demands of the NCP MLA. Omkar that day came home and told me about the incident. He also said that he would stand by his opinion and that would never surrender to Jagtap,” the complaint read.
BJP’s Vasant Lodha indicates opposition party MLAs influence police action
A day after the murder, local BJP leader Vasant Lodha took cognizance of the event and wrote to Maharashtra Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis seeking strict action against the murderers. He also mentioned that the culprits are close aides of one of the local MLAs who owns and operates illegal businesses in the city.
Lodha in the letter said, “A Hindu activist Omkar Bhaganagare was murdered by Hucche, Borate, and Guda who are close aides of local MLA. The MLA’s men operate illegal businesses, harass Hindu activists, target businessmen for money, and extend support to Muslims who illegally encroach spots in the busy public markets. They also harass Hindu activists by lodging false cases against them.”
He further added that the Police and the opposition party MLAs work hand-in-hand in the city and that the opposition party MLAs pressure or influence the police to ignore the complaints filed by Hindu leaders or BJP persons. “Please free Ahmednagar (Ahilyadevinagar) from the hold of these people and look into the case for justice,” the letter by Lodha written in Marathi roughly read.
‘Omkar Bhaganagare was a Hindu activist’, confirms Lodha to OpIndia
Team OpIndia contacted to BJP leader Vasant Lodha to learn that Omkar Bhaganagare was a Hindu activist and was the target of the murderers. “Bhaganagre and Hucche had engaged in a scuffle some days ago after the former had complained about the illegal businesses being handled by Hucche. Bhaganagre and Gholap had reached the warehouse of the illegal Gutka trade owned by the NCP MLA. And then after a few days, Bhaganagare was murdered. He was a Hindu activist and was a sharp leader,” he said.
On asking about the arrests in the case, he claimed that the arrested persons actually have very little to do with the case but the police in order to portray swift action took them into custody. According to sources, two of the actual murderers are said to have appeared before the police on June 22 but the same could not be confirmed.
OpIndia tried contacting the Tophkhana Police Station but the authorities refused to provide any information considering the sensitivity of the case. The authorities said that PI Shirsat was authorized to speak on the case but he was unavailable for comment while this case was being reported. The said report will be updated once we hear from the authorities.
FIR lodged, three who helped murderers arrested
At present, local reports suggest that the FIR in the case has been lodged at the Tophkhana Police Station in the district and the police have arrested Ravi Namade, Vaibhav Hucche, and Sagar Guda who are believed to have helped the accused persons in executing the murder. However, Nandu Borate, Ganesh Hucche, and Sandeep Guda who actually committed the crime are still absconding. Further investigations into the case are underway.
