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3w ago

Five in Beating of Pune Reporter Freed on Bail as Prime Suspect Remains Hospitalized

Raising fresh concerns over press safety in rural Maharashtra, the case highlights the impunity of local power brokers

A file photo of journalist Sneha Barve | Facebook
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A cutout of Sena with a still from the video in the background.
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Overview

  • On July 4, video footage captured journalist Sneha Barve being beaten with wooden rods in Nighotwadi village, leaving her hospitalized with head and back injuries.
  • The FIR filed at Manchar police station cites sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for grievous hurt, unlawful assembly and intimidation, punishable by up to two years in prison.
  • Five suspects, including Prashant and Nilesh Morde, were arrested and granted bail, while principal accused Pandurang Morde remains unarrested due to hospitalization for a fracture.
  • The Press Club of India and Network of Women in Media India have condemned the assault and are demanding that authorities upgrade charges to attempted murder and detain the main suspect.
  • Barve, founder-editor of Samarth Bharat, has endured multiple threats over the past year and continues to highlight the risks faced by reporters confronting local power networks in rural Maharashtra.