Sarpanch Murder Accused Hiding Among Transgender Community, Claims Trupti Desai

Social activist Trupti Desai has alleged that Krishna Andhale, the absconding accused in the brutal murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, is evading capture by disguising himself among transgender persons near the Karnataka border.

Desai, who met Deshmukh’s family on Tuesday, shared this startling claim with reporters, contradicting earlier reports placing Andhale in Nashik. “I received a call revealing he’s hiding with the transgender community, dressed differently,” she said, raising questions about the ongoing police manhunt.

Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and tortured to death on December 9, 2024, allegedly for resisting an extortion bid targeting a windmill company.

Seven suspects, including prime accused Walmik Karad—a close aide of former Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde—have been arrested, but Andhale remains at large. Desai accused police of shielding Andhale, alleging corruption linked to Karad’s influence. She submitted evidence to Beed’s superintendent of police on Tuesday, naming 26 officers allegedly involved in irregularities like extortion and FIR tampering. “Officials stationed in Beed for over a decade must be transferred, and action taken against the guilty,” she demanded.

The activist also tied Andhale’s evasion to broader systemic failures, pointing to recent Nagpur violence over the Aurangzeb tomb issue. “It’s shocking. The government must clarify its stance without disrupting law and order,” she said, warning against divisive narratives ahead of Eid and Gudi Padwa.

Desai suggested such controversies distract from Deshmukh’s murder and rising crimes against women, noting their timing during the budget session.

With a 1,800-page chargesheet filed in February and Andhale’s property seizure ordered, the case remains a political flashpoint. Desai’s claims, if substantiated, could intensify scrutiny on Maharashtra’s law enforcement as the search for Andhale—now over 100 days—drags on.