Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed in the state assembly on Tuesday that Beed district recorded 36 murder cases between January and October 2024, spotlighting a troubling crime surge in the Marathwada region. Responding to a written query in the lower House, Fadnavis, who also oversees the Home portfolio, disclosed that over the past five years, Beed has seen 275 murders and 766 attempted murders, underscoring a persistent law-and-order challenge.

The spotlight on Beed intensified following the brutal murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh on December 9, 2024, a case that has gripped public and political attention. Deshmukh, from Massajog village, was abducted, tortured, and killed, allegedly for resisting a ₹2 crore extortion attempt targeting an energy firm’s windmill project. Fadnavis detailed that eight accused have been arrested and charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), with one suspect, Krishna Andhale, still at large. The state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) filed a 1,200-page chargesheet on February 27, 2025, covering Deshmukh’s murder and two related cases, signaling a robust probe.

Fadnavis also highlighted efforts to curb armed violence, noting that 260 individuals involved in these cases held arms licenses, of which 199 were suspended or canceled, including those of deceased permit holders. Additionally, sub-inspector Rajesh Patil of Kaij police station was suspended amid the Deshmukh investigation, reflecting internal accountability measures.

The statistics paint a grim picture for Beed, a district already reeling from the Deshmukh killing’s political fallout, which led to NCP minister Dhananjay Munde’s resignation after his aide Walmik Karad’s arrest.