In a shocking case of political violence, police in Maharashtra's Raigad district have arrested nine individuals for the brutal murder of former Khopoli councillor Mangesh Kalokhe. The killing, which occurred last week, is directly linked to a bitter electoral rivalry from recently concluded municipal polls.
The Victim and the Prime Accused
Mangesh Kalokhe, the husband of newly elected Shiv Sena councillor Mansi Kalokhe, was attacked and killed on the morning of December 26, 2025. The prime accused is Urmila Devkar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate who lost to Mansi Kalokhe by a narrow margin of 700 votes in the Khopoli municipal council elections.
According to police, Kalokhe was returning home on his motorcycle after dropping his daughter at school around 7 am when the assailants, waiting in a black car, intercepted him. They attacked him with deadly weapons including swords, a sickle, and an axe, leading to his immediate death.
Expanded Arrests and Alleged Conspiracy
The police investigation, conducted by 25 special teams, led to the arrest of the accused over the past two days. Those apprehended include Urmila Devkar, her husband Ravindra, their sons Dhanesh and Darshan, and several party supporters. Authorities have also named Raigad district NCP president Sudhakar Ghare, the party's local spokesperson, and three others as wanted accused in the case.
Raigad Superintendent of Police Aanchal Dalal stated that the murder was the result of a "longstanding dispute" between the Kalokhe and Devkar families, who have contested against each other in multiple elections. "They had been planning to carry out the murder for a while. The election results accelerated their action," Dalal explained.
Family's Allegation of Police Inaction
The victim's family has leveled serious allegations against the local police, claiming that Mangesh Kalokhe had personally approached them regarding threats from his NCP rivals but no protective action was taken. The family stated that he was threatened as recently as December 25, just a day before the murder.
In response to these allegations, a police officer claimed that when the initial threat was reported, local police had called members from both political parties and warned them against instigating violence. The family is now demanding action against the specific police officer who ignored their plea.
The case has drawn significant political attention. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the bereaved Mansi Kalokhe and promised that the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) would be invoked against the perpetrators. Meanwhile, Sudhakar Ghare has denied any involvement, claiming he was traveling to Ahmedabad for a function when the murder took place.
