Murder Unravels Lucrative Windmill Biz
Hindustan Times Jaipur|January 01, 2025
The murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh has exposed an intricate and murky nexus between criminality and politics in Beed, linked to the burgeoning business of wind energy which has quietly transformed the economy of the drought-prone district.
Nadeem Inamdar

PUNE/BEED: The murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh has exposed an intricate and murky nexus between criminality and politics in Beed, linked to the burgeoning business of wind energy which has quietly transformed the economy of the drought-prone district.

Deshmukh, 45, who was abducted and murdered on December 9, had reportedly been at the centre of disputes around windmill operations and tried to intervene in an extortion bid by local villagers on a windmill firm, said Beed police officers involved in the probe before it was handed over to the criminal investigation department (CID) last week.

According to local police officers, the murder stemmed from a brawl between Deshmukh and the four accused arrested on December 6 from the site of a windmill energy project being executed by Avaada Energy in Massajog.

The police have filed three FIRs in connection with the incidents - one for Deshmukh's kidnapping-cum-murder; one for an assault on the firm's security guard; and one for an extortion bid worth ₹2 crore by local villagers from the firm that has set up a windmill project in Massajog. The state government has transferred all three cases to the CID.

According to the third FIR, of which Hindustan Times has seen a copy, on December 6, the four persons went to the project site and allegedly abused and assaulted a security guard and the project manager after they were refused entry. The guard, who belongs to Massajog village, alerted Deshmukh as the village sarpanch. He rushed to the site along with a few villagers and the two groups engaged in a brief clash, said police.

Subsequently, the project manager of Avaada Energy lodged a complaint of assault and attempt to trespass based on which an FIR was registered.

Bu hikaye Hindustan Times Jaipur dergisinin January 01, 2025 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Hindustan Times Jaipur dergisinin January 01, 2025 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

HINDUSTAN TIMES JAIPUR DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Hindustan Times Jaipur

Film And TV's Golden Night

The 82nd Golden Globes was a mix of surprise wins but disappointments for India as stars showed up in full force

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

No matter what I do, my son will always be my priority: Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza has been jetsetting since her appointment as an ambassador for Dubai's Sports Council in December. But her busy year didn't keep her from ringing in 2025 with her \"forever date\", her six-year-old son Izhaan Mirza Malik.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

The curious case of Vidya Balan's post for Rohit Sharma

Vidya Balan; (inset above) the actor posted a screenshot of a message she received containing identical text to her post before quickly deleting it

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

Love lockdown: OYO's new rule for unmarried couples sparks mixed reactions

On Sunday, the hotel booking platform OYO introduced a new policy that prohibits unmarried couples from checking into its partner hotels in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

Ankush Bahuguna put under 40-hour 'digital arrest' by scammers: I lost my money, mental health

YouTuber Ankush Bahuguna has revealed that he was recently put in a 'digital arrest' by online scammers.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

Man United slow Liverpool's charge towards League title

Manchester United rallied to snap a four-game losing streak and slow Liverpool's romp towards the Premier League title in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

time-read
2 dak  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

Focus on Satwik-Chirag at Malaysia Open

India's doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will aim for a strong result, Lakshya Sen will look to build on his recent form and HS Prannoy will hope to shake off rust after a lengthy break at the season-opening Malaysia Super 1000 tournament starting here on Tuesday.

time-read
2 dak  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

Tactics to break down Rohit successful: O'Keeffe

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma wilted under the traditional Australian tactic of mentally breaking down the opposition captains during the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, said former spinner Kerry O'Keeffe.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

ICC, BCCI, CA, ECB Explore Chances of Two-Tier Tests

The ICC in collaboration with cricket boards of India, Australia and England is exploring the possibility of a two-tier Test system to facilitate more series between big three nations.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Jaipur

Why Q-comm's got brands to tap alternative financiers

As quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto revolutionize consumer shopping habits, direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands are increasingly turning to alternative financiers to secure larger working capital needed to stay competitive.

time-read
2 dak  |
January 07, 2025