One killed in firing in Maharashtra’s Hingoli; Shiv Sena corporator among 16 booked

Hingoli, Jul 17 (PTI) A 38-year-old man died after being shot in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, following which police have registered a case against a Shiv Sena councillor and 15 others, an official said on Friday. The incident took place in Kalamnuri town on Wednesday night, they said. According to police, Lukman Siddiqui was shot during a fight with a group of people, including Shiv Sena councillor Kishore Bhalerao, over an old dispute. He later died from his injuries, police said. The number of rounds fired during the attack is being investigated, a police official told PTI. Bhalerao and 15 others have been booked, and efforts are being made to trace them, the official said. Meanwhile, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad criticised the Maharashtra government over the incident, raising questions over the law and order situation in the state. In a post on X, she said, “The rule of law has ended in Maharashtra. With the power of authority, thuggery has received royal patronage. Criminals are fearless in the shadow of those in power, while ordinary citizens have become terrified. The grand alliance has handed Maharashtra over to the thugs.” Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition that also comprises the BJP and NCP. PTI AW NR