Rs 10 lakh reward for information on Pansare's killers

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced a Rs 10 lakh reward for information about two missing gunmen wanted for the killing of veteran Communist leader and social activist Govind Pansare, a senior official said here.

Kolhapur Range IGP Vishwas Nangare-Patil said Vinay Pawar and Sarang Dilip Akolkar opened fire at Pansare and his wife Uma on the morning of February 16, 2015 in the city.

While Pansare, 81, succumbed to his injuries on February 20, Uma survived the murder attempt.

Besides the reward, the police have also issued non-bailable warrants against the two, who continue to elude the police since the attack.

Uma has recognised the pictures of the two gunmen who opened fire at them, while another prime accused Samir Gaikwad -- in custody now -- was also in regular contact with them, said Nangare-Patil.

A witness has also testified that Pawar, hailing from Sangli and Akolkar of Pune district, had visited a shop in Kolhapur to buy a revolver.

The developments came after the state government approved a proposal submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the killing to announced an attractive reward for information on his killers.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had earlier announced a Rs 5 lakh reward for information on the two.

The police had earlier arrested the right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha activists Gaikwad and Virendra Tawde in connection with the case.

The Pansare killing is among the three murders of rationalists and civil society activists including Narendra Dabholkar who was gunned down on August 20, 2013 in Pune, and M.M. Kalburgi who was shot dead in Dharwad in neighbouring Karnataka on August 30, 2015.

--IANS

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