Nagpur: In a shocking act of retaliation against anti-corruption activism, a 30-year-old BJP leader and Gram Panchayat (GP) member, Atul Patil (30), was brutally murdered in the early hours of Tuesday for exposing a major land scam in Saoner tehsil. The incident took place at Pipla Dak bungalow under Khaparkheda Police Station in the Nagpur Rural Police jurisdiction. Reports said that the victim was stabbed 37 times leading to his death on the spot.
According to police, Atul Patil was stabbed to death at his residence around 2:30 am by Himanshu Kumbhalkar, allegedly acting on the instructions of Vishnu Kokadde — a former Sarpanch and husband of ex-Zilla Parishad President Mukta Kokadde. Both accused have been arrested and produced before a Saoner court. Kumbhalkar has been remanded in police custody till June 21, while Kokadde will remain in custody till June 19.
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Atul had emerged as a staunch opponent of land-related corruption in the region. Using the Right to Information (RTI) Act, he had collected crucial documents exposing illegal land layouts sanctioned with fake documents during Kokadde’s tenure. His disclosures led to a police case being registered against Kokadde, the Gram Panchayat Secretary, and two others.
Sources say Kokadde and his wife allegedly misused their political influence to issue fraudulent No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for multiple plots, which were later converted into lucrative residential layouts — earning them crores of rupees. Atul’s efforts to bring the scam to light had made him a marked man.
The police also believe that a personal grudge helped fuel the conspiracy. Atul had earlier clashed with Himanshu Kumbhalkar, a known player in the sand theft racket. Himanshu suspected that Atul had tipped off authorities, leading to the seizure of his vehicles. A recent monetary dispute further strained relations, which Kokadde allegedly exploited to orchestrate the murder.
Police are now investigating whether others were involved in the conspiracy and are examining phone records and financial transactions. Additional security has been deployed in the area to prevent unrest.
The murder has sparked political outrage. BJP MLA from Saoner, Dr. Ashish Deshmukh, led a rasta roko protest demanding swift justice and a fast-track trial. “Atul stood for truth and transparency. His murder is not just a crime, it’s an attack on democracy,” Deshmukh said.
