Shiv Sena official and three others arrested for 2021 Sindhudurg murder over a financial dispute

An office-bearer of the Shiv Sena and three others have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a 35-year-old man, killing him and setting his body on fire over a financial dispute in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, police said on Tuesday.

The police arrested the accused last week in connection with the crime that occurred two years ago, an official said.

He said the victim, Siddhivinayak alias Prakash Bidwakal, a resident of Chendwan in Kudal, went missing from his home in 2023, and based on a complaint lodged by his family, the police registered a case a few days ago.

A special investigation team (SIT) was formed on the instructions of Superintendent of Police Saurabh Kumar Agarwal, and a probe revealed that Bidwakal worked for Siddhesh Ashok Shirsat, a local office-bearer of the Shiv Sena.

The official said the police team found that Bidwakal had borrowed money from Siddhesh Shirsat and his friend Ganesh Narvekar.

According to the police, Siddhesh Shirsat and Narvekar kidnapped Bidwakal from his residence and confined him in a house belonging to another accused, Amol Shirsat, a resident of Pinguli.

The accused allegedly beat up the victim brutally and killed him, the official said, adding that the men also recorded a video of the assault.

The accused then destroyed the evidence by setting the body on fire in a crematorium, he said.

The official said Siddhesh Shirsat and his aides transported the remains in two gunny bags to Satarda village in a remote hilly area and threw them into the Terekhol River.

The accused, Siddhesh Shirsat (44), Ganesh Narvekar (33), Sarvesh Kerkar (29) and Amol Shirsat (32), were produced in court, and three of them were remanded in police custody.