Sendhwa (Madhya Pradesh): The court of additional district sessions judge Rupesh Naik in Sendhwa on Wednesday sentenced seven to life imprisonment out of the 10 accused in connection with BJP leader Manoj Thakre’s murder case. The court acquitted the remaining three accused, additional district prosecution officer Sanjay Pal More informed.
More also said that those who were convicted in the case include, main conspirator Tarachand Banjara (70), his son Digvijay alias Vijay Banjara (34), both residents of Tanda Dhawali village, Anil Bhil (30), a resident of Maharail Bistan village, Jhagadaya Pawra (58), a resident of Melane Chopra in Maharashtra, Kailash alias Nanu Banjara (35), a resident of Dhawalipura village, Ravi Bhil (30), a resident of Borpadawa village and Kalu alias Karan Bhil (33), a resident of Dhawda village.
Earlier in January 20, 2019, Manoj Thackeray, a locally known leader from Balwadi village in Barwani district was found in a field in Warla police station limits. It is being assumed that Thackeray was hit on the head by a heavy stone as a blood stained stone was also found next to his body. Thackeray had gone for a morning walk and did not return since then. He was murdered on the Balwadi- Sendhwa road.
Battle for supremacy leads to murder
During the police investigation it came to the fore that the battle for political supremacy led to the murder of Thakre. Since the political stature of Thakre was growing in the area, BJP's strongman Tarachand Rathore was against it. Due to this Rathore and his son Digvijay Singh Rathore conspired to kill Manoj Thackeray and executed it.
At the time of the incident, Congress was in power and after Thakre’s murder, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had reached Balwadi to express his condolence to Thakre’s family. At that time, BJP leaders had alleged that the killing of BJP leaders began as soon as Congress government came to power. If the accused are not caught soon, they will protest, agitate and do whatever it takes. Here, after the disclosure of the case, many Congress leaders including the then home minister Bal Bachchan also made statements which heated up the political atmosphere.
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