Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Members of several Hindutva organisations staged demonstrations at Kranti Chowk on Wednesday evening and later launched a rasta roko at Chikalthana to protest against the assault on Gorakshaks (cow vigilantes). The protesters attempted to enter the Chikalthana area where the attack had taken place, but timely police intervention prevented a violent escalation.
Traffic on the busy Jalna Road was disrupted for nearly an hour during the protest. The situation calmed only after police officials assured demonstrators that stern action would be taken against illegal meat sales and that a special squad would be formed to curb meat smuggling.
According to the police, Gorakshak Ganesh Appasaheb Shelke (24), police constable Ankush Dhage, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation sanitary inspector Sachin Shinde had gone to the Pushpak Garden locality in Chikalthana on Tuesday to stop an alleged meat-smuggling operation. However, a mob reportedly attacked them, leaving all three seriously injured.
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Following the incident, protesters gathered at Kranti Chowk on Wednesday, with women activists urging people to march to the site of the assault. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ratnakar Nawale attempted to pacify the crowd, but the agitators proceeded towards Chikalthana. A heavy police bandobast was deployed in the area to prevent further clashes.
Out of an estimated 20–22 attackers, several fled after locking their houses. Police have arrested the main suspects, Feroz Harun Qureshi (33), Isa Gafur Qureshi (45), Uzef Jafar Qureshi (20), and Rukhsar Isa Qureshi (38), while a 17-year-old boy has been sent to a children’s home. All four accused have been remanded in police custody as investigations continue.
