People's Democracy

Attacks On Journalists In Maharashtra Condemned

VARIOUS groups – SAHMAT, Communalism Combat, DUJ, Editors Guild of India – have strongly condemned attacks on journalists in Maharashtra and urged the state government to apprehend the culprits. 

Editor of Aapla Mahanagar, Nikhil Wagle was brutally attacked and narrowly escaped being burnt alive when a group of Shiv Saniks inspired by the former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane assaulted him and two others at Malvan in Konkan-the western coast of Maharashtra on August 28, 2004.

The attack took place at about 8.15 am Wagle’s colleague Yuvraj Mohite and Pramod Nigudkar were also seriously injured. Until the time these organisations issued the statement (2 pm on August 28) no action has been taken on the attackers by the Malvan Police. Nikhil Wagle and his colleague were attacked after conducting a workshop for local activists yesterday.

Wagle and his colleagues have refused any treatment until those responsible for the attack have been apprehended.

The attack on Wagle is the second serious attempt on the lives of the journalists in Maharashtra. Only four days ago, on Tuesday August 24 Sajid Rashid, editor of Hamara Mahanagar was brutally attacked by a section of religious fanatics. He had been attacked for advocating an end to the obnoxious triple talaq system and gender justice apart from raising other issues for discussion within the Muslim community.