Abhishek Ghosalkar’s murder: Devendra Fadnavis reacts amid resignation demands

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday described the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar by ‘social activist’ Mauris Noronha during a ‘Facebook Live’ as “very serious and unfortunate”. Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Maharashtra home minister, said the Mumbai Police has come across some reasons behind the killing and that will be made public soon.
“The killing of a young leader Abhishek Ghosalkar is very serious and unfortunate. It has happened out of personal enmity. They (Abhishek Ghosalkar and his killer Mauris Noronha, also known as ‘Morris Bhai’) were seen together on many occasions. Their posters were put up together even in 2024. This must have happened out of some differences. The police have come across some of the reasons and that will be made public soon,” Devendra Fadnavis told reporters.
Devendra Fadnavis said that the incident has nothing to do with the law and order situation in the state, as alleged by the Opposition. “The Opposition is doing politics over it, but it’s their job,” he said.
A viral video of the incident, which took place at Mauris Noronha’s office in IC Colony in the northern suburb of Borivali (West) on Thursday evening, showed Abhishek Ghosalkar being shot in the abdomen and shoulder. Shortly after that, Mauris Noronha also killed himself. The investigation has been handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar also reacted to the incident and described the murder as “wrong and unfortunate”, assuring that a detailed probe will be conducted to find out what led to the crime.
“It was wrong and unfortunate. Such incidents should not happen in the state. The conversation between the two during the live-streaming seemed friendly. Looking at the conversation, their relationship also looked cordial,” Ajit Pawar told reporters in Pune.
Abhishek Ghosalkar, 40, son of former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar, a loyalist of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, was also a former corporator. The fatal attack on him came days after a BJP MLA was caught on camera firing at a leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena inside a police station at Ulhasnagar.
The Sharad Pawar’s NCP group demanded the resignation of Devendra Fadnavis over the murder of Abhishek Ghosalkar.
Clyde Crasto, national spokesperson of Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar said the law and order situation has gone out of control in Maharashtra.
“Be it Nagpur where ‘goondas’ are having their say, Pune where the ‘koita gang’ is creating havoc every now and then, Ulhasnagar where an MLA fearlessly uses a police station to settle his score with an enemy and now, a young man, ex-corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar, was shot dead by a criminal without fear of law,” Crasto said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Sanjay Raut demanded the resignation of chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis.
“…There is ‘goonda raj’ and ‘mafia raj’ in Maharashtra. This ‘mafia raj’ has the blessings of the Shinde government…We will not keep quiet…Where is your ED and CBI now? PM Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah are responsible for this ‘gunda raj’…,” Raut told reporters.