Narendra Dabholkar déjà vu: Maharashtra activist Govind Pansare shot at in Kolhapur

Mumbai: Veteran leader from the progressive movement and state secretary of Communist Party of India, Govind Pansare was shot at on Monday morning near his residence at Kolhapur. His wife Uma was also shot at by two unidentified gunmen. Mr Pansare and his wife are said to be out of danger. The police has detained five suspects in this case.

The motorcycle-borne assailants fired at Mr Pansare and his wife outside the Ideal Housing Society, when the couple was returning after their daily morning walk from Shivaji University. One bullet hit Mr Pansare on the neck, another in his armpit and a third one grazed his leg. His wife suffered a single bullet injury, Kolhapur Superintendent of Police, Omprakash Sharma told reporters.

Injured Pansare and his wife Uma were admitted to the Aster Aadhar Hospital, where doctors succeeded in removing the bullet from his neck during the two-hour operation. The second bullet, which was lodged near the armpit, resulted in excessive bleeding.

Mr Pansare’s aggressive protest against toll-booths within Kolhapur city is likely to be the reason behind the attack on the Leftist leader. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Sharad Pawar were the first to condemn the attack on Mr Pansare.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar termed the attack as “shocking” and appealed to the Maharashtra government to “use their own forces” for an in-depth investigation.

Condemning the incident, he said, “This attack is a matter of concern for a progressive state like Maharashtra. I know him for the last 40-45 years. He has never compromised on his principles,” Mr Pawar said.

Pawar said this is the second such incident in the state after anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune in August 2013. “I condemn this attack. Those who are responsible should be taught a lesson,” former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said. Mr Fadnavis said ten police teams had been formed to nab the culprits.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray spoke to the chief minister demanding that the assailants be arrested at the earliest.

Meanwhile, when minister Ram Shinde arrived at Aster Aadhar Hospital to enquire about the health of the Pansares, several organisations and workers of Left parties raised slogans condemning the attack. A protest rally was also taken out in Kolhapur.