Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday condemned the “brutal” murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, and assured that those responsible would face stringent punishment.

Deshmukh was abducted, tortured, and killed on December 9, allegedly for opposing an extortion attempt targeting an energy company involved in a windmill project in Beed, located 380 kilometres from Mumbai. Police have registered a case of murder as well as extortion in connection with the heinous crime.