Lawyer, wife beaten in Saswad street after row over car blocking road

A lawyer and his wife were beaten in broad daylight on a busy street in Saswad after he questioned a car parked blocking the road in front of a hospital. The incident has triggered anger in the town over policing and law and order.

The victims are advocate Prateek Mahendra Basale, a member of the Saswad Bar Association, and his wife Pranjali Prateek Basale. A complaint has been registered at Saswad police station. Police have booked accused Prathamesh Dnyaneshwar Kale, Sameer Uttam Kale and Harish Jagdale, all residents of Kalewadi in Purandar taluka, along with 8 to 10 unidentified persons.

According to information received, Prateek Basale's parents are themselves doctors in Saswad, and their Basale Hospital on Sopannagar Road is well known locally. On Sunday, September 20, around 1 pm, Prateek Basale was heading to the hospital with his wife when accused Prathamesh Kale parked his white Kia Seltos car, registration number MH12 YX 7474, in a way that blocked the road. Basale only asked why the car had been left in the middle of the road.

Instead of moving the car, Prathamesh Kale began arguing with the lawyer. Following this, Prathamesh Kale, Sameer Kale, Harish Jagdale and a group of 8 to 10 others present attacked Prateek Basale, abusing and beating him brutally with kicks and punches. Dr Mahendra Basale, the lawyer's father, who arrived to intervene, was also badly beaten by the accused. The complainant's wife was subjected to obscene gestures and touched inappropriately in a manner intended to humiliate her, amounting to molestation.

The incident took place in broad daylight on a busy street, drawing an immediate crowd at the spot. It also became a talking point across the taluka on social media. Residents of Saswad say the police no longer instil fear in offenders, which is why such incidents keep recurring, raising questions about law and order in the taluka.

The Saswad Bar Association strongly condemned the assault on the lawyer. The association held an urgent meeting and demanded the swift arrest of all the accused. Its members also met police inspector Santosh Gholve and submitted a written complaint. Present at the meeting were Bar Association president advocate Bharati Jagtap, vice president advocate Sarla Tiwari, secretary Lalita Jhende, joint secretary Shweta Kunjir, treasurer Sania Maniyar and Karishma Dange. Also attending were Purandar Medical Association president Dr Praveen Jagtap and several other office bearers.