The Maharashtra government on Monday suspended two policemenfor alleged dereliction of duty in the wake of lynching of three men in Maharashtra'sPalghar district.

Days after three men were beaten to death by a group ofvillagers in Palghar district of Maharashtra on suspicion that they werethieves, the Inspector General of Police, Konkan Range, Niket Kaushik on Mondaysuspended the police station in-charge under whose jurisdiction the incidenttook place on April 16 and another cop for alleged dereliction of duty.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has alreadyordered a high-level probe into the Palghar lynching incident while saying thatculprits will be brought to justice. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) hasalso sought a report from Maharashtra government over the Palghar mob lynchingincident, which took place around 150 kms away from Mumbai.

The three men killed include two sadhus and their cardriver. Here are top developments in the Palghar mob lynching case fromMaharashtra.

1. On April 16, a group of villagers in Palghar district ofMaharashtra dragged out three men out of their car and beat them to death onsuspicion that they were thieves. The attack on the three took place amid anationwide lockdown.

2. A police official said villagers stopped the vehicle onthe Dhabadi-Khanvel road near village Gadchinchale when the three were on theirway to Surat to attend a funeral. The locals then pulled out of the three fromtheir car and attacked them with stones and other objects on suspicion thatthey were thieves. The three were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri(70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35) and their car driver Nilesh Telgade (30).

3. Inspector Anandrao Kale of the Kasa police station toldnews agency PTI that the incident took place between 9.30-10 pm on Thursday. Asenior official was quoted as saying that an initial response team of thepolice could not save the three as the force was heavily outnumbered and thevictims were beaten up even inside the police vehicle. The police official saidmore than 100 people were detained by the police for their involvement in thecrime.

4. On April 19, former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavisraised the incident as he demanded a high-level probe into Palghar moblynching. Slamming the Maharashtra government, Fadnavis said, “Palghar moblynching is very cruel and a serious matter. It is more shocking to us the waypolice did not take any action against people gathering in the area withsticks.” Fadnavis added, “What can be more shameful than the way police handedover these people into the hands of a berserk mob and allowed them to take lawinto their hands.”

5. On the same day, Maharashtra Deputy CM Anil Deshmukh saidthe state government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the Palghar moblynching incident. Warning against giving any communal colour to the Palgharincident, the Maharashtra Deputy CM said the police were keeping a watch onthose who wanted to use this incident to create a rift in the society.

6. Late Sunday night, Maharashtra CM assured that culpritswill be brought to justice. Promising stern action in the Palghar mob lynchingcase, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray said, “The Palghar incident has beenacted upon. The police have arrested all those accused who attacked the 2sadhus, 1 driver and the police personnel, on the day of the crime itself.”Uddhav Thackeray added, “Nobody guilty in this heinous crime and shameful actwill be spared and they will be brought to justice in the strongest waypossible.”

7. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Mondaysaid he spoke to his Maharashtra CM regarding the incident. Adityanath said heurged Uddhav Thackeray to take strict action against the culprits involved inthe lynching of three men in Palghar district. "Spoke to Chief Minister ofMaharashtra Uddhav Thackeray yesterday evening regarding murder of saints ofJuna Akhara Swami Kalpvrikshgiri, Swami Sushilgiri and their driver NeeleshTelgarhe. I have urged him to take strict action against the culprits,"Adityanath said in a tweet in Hindi. BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, meanwhile, warnedthat seers from across the country will march to Maharashtra in protest againstthe Palghar mob lynching incident if stern action is not taken againstculprits.

8. Two inspectors of the Kasa police station were on Mondaysuspended by the Inspector General of Police (Konkan Range) in connection withthe Palghar case. Kasa police station's assistant police inspector AnandraoKale and sub-inspector Sudhir Katare were suspended for alleged dereliction ofduty, an official said.

9. Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday sought a report fromthe Maharashtra government over the Palghar mob lynching incident. Earlier inthe day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Maharashtra CM UddhavThackeray over the gruesome incident, the video of which has gone viral onsocial media.

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10. Few videos, purportedly of the gruesome incident, havegone viral on social media. The disturbing visuals have resulted in nationwideoutrage with hashtags like Palghar and lynching trending on Twitter in India.