Ex-Mumbai CP alleges conversion plot behind Palghar lynching

Dr. Satya Pal Singh, former Commissioner of Police, Mumbai and presently BJP MP from Baghpat

Singh, who served as IG of Palghar tribal area for some time recalled how the attempts were made to convert those tribal people in the name of social service.

Singh’s remarks came days after the two sadhus belonging to Panchdashnami Juna Akhara were lynched by an uncontrolled mob at Gadchinchale village in Palghar district on April 16. Some hundred plus persons were held by the police since then during the investigation process.

In a twitter message, Dr. Singh said that the crime rate was almost nil in the tribal area, but conspiracies to convert them in the guise of social service and allurement. It is necessary to investigate who instigated these tribal people to kill these sadhus by calling them thieves or child-lifters.

He described this as an unfortunate incident and an attack on the culture of our country.

The sadhus were going to Surat from Mumbai when their vehicle was stopped and they were dragged out of the car and beaten to death with sticks and mortars by the angry mob on the suspicion that they were child-lifters. They were later identified as Mahant Kalpvriksha Giri (70) and Mahant Sushil Giri (35) and their driver Nilesh Telgade (30).

Dr. Singh demanded that the investigation, in this case, should be done at the earliest the culprits should be punished.

BJP spokesman Sambit Patra the area in which this heinous murder took place came under Dahanu legislative assembly constituency which has elected a CPM MLA. Patra alleged the involvement of CPM in this case and raised doubts on the ‘studied’ silence of the left parties and intellectuals.

Amit Malviya, another BJP spokesman termed the suspicion of theft as a ‘convenient excuse’ to justify the Palghar lynching incident. The sadhus were pleading for protection with the police but they did not do anything and just remained mute spectators. He pointed to the failure of Maharashtra Government under Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in almost all fields from health to law and order alleging that the chief minister was clueless.

Meanwhile, Dr. Satya Pal Singh who participated in the national mourning for the sadhus urged the Maharashtra Government to take immediate steps to crack this case and punish the culprits. The entire nation is experiencing intense pain and anguish over the incident, he said.

However, the state government has handed over the probe to the CID in this case and so far over 100 persons were arrested. Further investigations are on. The Maharashtra CM has appealed to people and parties not to communalize this issue and assured early investigation.