Local Dancer Arrested After Sub-Head's Alleged Suicide in Solapur

Incident Overview

In Solapur, Maharashtra, law enforcement has taken a 21-year-old folk dancer into custody following the alleged suicide of a 34-year-old deputy sarpanch outside her residence.

Authorities reported on Wednesday that the relationship between the accused woman and the deputy sarpanch, Govind Berge, had deteriorated, leading to his distress over her increasing demands.

According to police, the dancer had her sights set on the deputy sarpanch's property. Family members of Berge revealed that he was involved with Pooja Gaikwad, a member of a folk dance troupe based in Barshi, Solapur.

Gaikwad was reportedly pressuring Berge to transfer land and a bungalow into her name. Police indicated that she had threatened to file a false case against him if he did not comply with her requests.

On Tuesday, Berge's body was discovered in his car outside Gaikwad's mother's house in Sasure village, located in the Barshi tehsil, with a gunshot wound to his head. Prior to taking his life, Berge attempted to reach Gaikwad via video call to discuss matters, but she declined to engage.

Berge's brother-in-law subsequently filed a case against Gaikwad under charges related to inciting suicide, leading to her arrest and a three-day police remand.

Berge served as the deputy sarpanch of Lukhamsala in Jiorai and was a contractor who frequently visited a local arts center in Barshi, where he met Gaikwad.