Past enmity, activism, land common factors in Maval murders.

Hindustan Times: Shrinivas Deshpande: Mumbai: Monday, May 15, 2023.

The broad daylight murder of Kishor Aware – an activist known for his philanthropy and for being the voice of the people against corruption and wrongdoing in Talegaon, Maval – has once again put the spotlight on the rising incidence of crime in Maval, an area nestled between the metros of Pune and Mumbai which is otherwise known for its scenic beauty and tourist attractions.On January 13, 2010, Satish Shetty, a prominent Right to Information (RTI) activist, was stabbed near his residence in Talegaon.

Just last month, Pravin Gopale, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Sarpanch of Shirgaon, was attacked with sharp weapons at Sai Chowk. According to eyewitnesses, Gopale tried to escape the onslaught but the unidentified, bike-borne assailants chased him for 50 to 100 metres before assaulting him with a Koyta. It is said that Gopale’s involvement in a land deal sealed his fate.

Earlier in October 2016, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former mayor of the Talegaon Municipal Corporation, Sachin Shelke, was travelling in his car when assailants waylaid him near a petrol pump. They asked Shelke to step out of his car and fired a round at him before attacking him with sharp-edged weapons. In 2013 as well, Shelke had been attacked but he survived the assault. His brother and father too survived similar attacks.

On January 13, 2010, Satish Shetty, a prominent Right to Information (RTI) activist, was stabbed near his residence in Talegaon and died of his injuries later. He was in the process of unearthing a multi-crore land grab in the vicinity of the Pune-Mumbai expressway (e-way). Shetty was known for exposing corruption and illegal land deals in the area. The case remains unsolved, and no arrests have been made till date. His brother Sandeep Shetty said, “There has been no development in the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its closure report did not make any observations. I had also filed a petition to review this decision in the Supreme Court but there has been no development ever since.”