Palghar mob lynching: Three policemen dismissed from service

Two seers and their driver were lynched by a mob at Gadchinchale village in Palghar on April 16

Three police personnel have been dismissed from service in connection with the lynching of two sadhus and their driver in Maharashtra's Palghar.

These police personnel includes assistant police inspector Anandrao Kale, who was in-charge of Kasa police station in Palghar when the incident took place on April 16. Two others are assistant sub-inspector Ravi Salunke and constable Naresh Dhodi.

Two seers - Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70) and Sushil Giri Maharaj (35) - and their 30-year-old driver Nilesh Telgade were lynched by a mob at Gadchinchale village in Palghar on April 16 when they were travelling in a car to Surat (Gujarat) to attend a funeral during lockdown. The brutal mob attack took place amid rumours that child-lifters were roaming in the area.

"The Inspector General of Police, Konkan Range, dismissed the trio from service through an order issued on Saturday," a senior official added.

These three police personnel, along with their five other colleagues, had been placed under suspension following the incident, he said.

As many as 154 people were arrested and 11 juveniles detained in connection with the incident. The accused in the case were charged with murder, armed rioting and using criminal force to prevent a public servant from doing is the duty, among other offences, police said.

The case was later handed over to the Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and it filed three chargesheets in the case.

After the incident caused an uproar, over 35 police constables and personnel of other ranks were transferred. The state government had also sent the then Palghar district police chief, Gaurav Singh, on forced leave.

(With inputs from agencies)

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