Cops try to talk to crucial witness Uma Pansare

Investigators said she is a prime witness and her statement could give them crucial inputs. Cops tried to speak to her but she was not in a position to give any statement. Additional superintendent of police Ankit Goyal said, “We tried to speak to Uma Pansare. But it was not possible as she was not comfortable yet. So we did not record her statement.”

Investigation by Kolhapur police revealed that the masked assailants came on a motorcycle, fired bullets at Pansare and his wife Uma and fled. Police recovered the empty shells which they said would be sent for a ballistic report. Police suspect the assailants kept a close watch on Pansare’s movements and attacked him.

An offence of attempt to murder was lodged at Rajarampuri police station in Kolhapur.

A team of Pune police, led by crime branch office, assistant commissioner of police Rajendra Bhamre is in Kolhapur. Bhamre had led the investigation into the murder of anti-superstition activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar on August 20, 2013 in Pune.

Two motorcycle-borne youths had shot Dr Dabholkar during his morning walk on a bridge near Omkareshwar temple in Pune in the morning hours. Pansare and his wife were attacked when they were returning from their morning walk. Police have not been able to make a breakthrough in the Dabholkar murder case.

On Tuesday, members of CPI and other left organizations converged from various parts of the state and took out a rally from Bindu chowk to the district collectorate in Kolhapur to condemn the attack on Pansare. District guardian minister Chandrakant Patil visited Aster Aadhar hospital to see Pansare. He spoke to Uma Pansare. He said her situation is improving. Patil said if there is a need to shift Govind Pansare to Pune or Mumbai the government will arrange for an air ambulance.