he murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar has triggered a political row, with leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party alleging that former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband, Rajendra Shinde, were behind the killing. The couple is associated with the rival Shiv Sena faction led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut met Pradeep Purnekar’s family in Thane. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo)

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Raut questioned whether Thane was “not on the map of the home department” and whether the Thane police needed orders from Nandanvan, the official bungalow of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis holds the home portfolio.

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Thackeray, in a post on X, called for the perpetrators to be arrested immediately. “The murder of Pradeep Purnekar is extremely infuriating and abhorrent. It is being proved time and again that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated. It is becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary people to live safely. The police will try to do their job, but if political parties themselves create an environment that encourages criminal activities, what can the police department do? I expect the perpetrators of this murder and the forces behind it to be arrested immediately,” he wrote.

Thackeray and Raut later met Purnekar’s family in Thane, before visiting the Kapurbawdi police station.

Dismissing the allegations, Meenakshi Shinde said, “Let the police investigate and find out who is guilty. I will answer then. I don’t want to get into petty politics.”

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The murder has further brought attention to the longstanding political rivalry in Thane, the traditional stronghold of the undivided Shiv Sena and the home turf of Eknath Shinde. After the 2022 split, most local corporators sided with Shinde, while some prominent leaders, including former MP Rajan Vichare and Kedar Dighe, remained with Uddhav Thackeray.

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The rivalry has previously led to clashes between the two factions. In April 2023, Shiv Sena (UBT) activist Roshani Shinde was allegedly assaulted by Shinde supporters over a social media post.