Maharashtra Journalist Associations to Protest Against Alleged Murder of a Colleague

GG News Bureau

Mumbai, 10th Feb. Maharashtra journalist associations will protest with black armbands outside tehsil and district headquarters across the state in response to the alleged murder of a journalist on February 7.

“Journalists across Maharashtra will demonstrate with black armbands outside Tehsil or District HQs on February 10th. They will then present a memorandum to the Tehsildar or Collector.”

The protest will be held today by the TVJA, Mumbai Press Club, Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, BNP (Bombay news photographer association), and Mumbai crime reporter association.

Shashikant Warishe, a Marathi journalist, was killed in a road accident just hours after his article opposing the proposed Nanar refinery in Ratnagiri was published following the arrest of an office-bearer of a group supporting the refinery.

On Monday, journalist Warishe was standing near a petrol pump on the Rajapur highway when the accused allegedly ran him over with his car. The vehicle reportedly dragged Warishe for several meters under the wheels before coming to a halt, the police said.

“When people rushed to help, the accused fled from the spot and Warishe was lying unconscious on the road. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment but succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday morning,” he added.

Recently, Warishe published a report terming Ambekar a “criminal” and highlighting photographs of him in the same frame as the Chief Minister and Prime Minister.

Ambekar, a local land mafia leader, was known to threaten and harass those who opposed any land acquisition for the upcoming refinery.

Dhananjay Kulkarni, Superintendent of Police in Ratnagiri, stated that the accused was arrested and brought before the court, which sentenced him to police custody till February 13.

“Police said that as soon as we came to know about the incident, we swung into action and by late evening traced the accused and arrested him. We produced him in the court on Tuesday morning,” he added.

The Rajapur police in Ratnagiri initially registered a culpable homicide that did not amount to murder, but later added IPC section 302 against accused Ambarkar.

While taking note of the situation, Maharashtra’s opposition leader Ajit Pawar stated, “This case should be investigated, what actually happened, if it was done intentionally then who is the mastermind of it, all these angles should be investigated.”

The Mumbai Press Club has also asked for a “wide-ranging” investigation into the murder.

“Though the local police have arrested the assassin Ambekar, there is a need for the Maharashtra Government to order a wide-ranging probe into the murder. This must include investigating a possible conspiracy, which may involve corporate elements, to strangle the local opposition to the refinery,” the statement by the club said.

“The Mumbai Press Club demands that the killing be probed from all angles and that Pandarinath Ambekar, as well as those who have possibly conspired with him to carry out the killing, be brought to book. The Club also demands that Warishe’s family be provided with protection during the investigation period and fair compensation for the murder of the breadwinner,” it further said.