NCP leader Lakhan Benade was brutally murdered, his body mutilated and dumped in a Karnataka river. A social media feud is suspected as the motive. Four people have been detained.
Kolhapur | July 18, 2025: In a gruesome incident that has sent shockwaves across Kolhapur, Lakhan Benade, a Gram Panchayat member from Rangoli village in Hatkanangale taluka and a supporter of Ajit Pawar’s NCP, was brutally murdered. His severed and partially burnt body was discovered in two pieces in the Hiranyakeshi river near Sankeshwar, Karnataka.
According to police reports, Benade had been missing since July 9, shortly after a heated dispute with a woman escalated on social media. Their online altercation, involving reel wars and bitter exchanges, appears to be at the heart of the motive.
The Kolhapur Crime Investigation Branch has detained four suspects and is actively searching for others involved. A murder case has been registered at Rajarampuri Police Station, and preliminary investigations suggest Benade was killed five to six days ago. The body was dismembered and set on fire before being dumped in the river—apparently in a bid to erase evidence.
Benade held considerable political influence at the village level, making this a high-profile case locally. Police sources believe the social media feud with the woman may have sparked a conspiracy that led to his murder.
All four detained suspects will be produced before the court tomorrow. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the full conspiracy and apprehend all involved.
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