Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry: Cross examination of IPS officer Nangare Patil concludes

Nangare Patil had submitted his affidavit before the commission in February 2022, in which he had attached details of the various measures taken by him to maintain the law and order situation in the view of massive gathering expected at the ‘Jaystambh’ in Perne village for the 200th anniversary of the battle of Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018.

He was cross-examined before the commission by lawyers Rohan Jamadar, Rahul Makhare, and Shishir Hiray. Advocate Jamadar is a descendant of a British Army soldier Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar, who was injured in the battle of Koregaon Bhima against the Peshwas on January 1, 1818. The Britishers had appointed Kandojibin as the “in-charge” of the “Jaystambh”, a war memorial erected in 1821 in the memory of soldiers who fought this battle.

During cross-examination by advocate Hiray, who represents the state, Nangare Patil said information was gathered through intelligence that there was rumour mongering, and sharing of irresponsible social media posts, which caused a communal stir. (Express archive Photo by Arul Horizon)

According to the Jamadar family, belonging to the Maratha community, both British and Peshwa forces consisted of soldiers from different castes. Thus, they say, the battle of Koregaon Bhima cannot be linked to any particular caste or religion, adding it was not a war against casteism.

But a section of Dalits, mainly Ambedkarites, believe that the British Army comprising 500 soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community defeated a 28,000-strong force of Peshwas, who were Brahmins, in this battle. Lakhs of Ambedkarites visit the Jaystambh every year on January 1 calling it “Shaurya Din” (Victory Day) to pay tribute to the soldiers who, they believe, fought a war for freedom against the alleged casteism of the Peshwas.

During cross-examination by Jamadar, Nangare Patil said he had not visited the Jaystambh prior to January 1, 2018. As per Nangare Patil’s affidavit, there were inputs that some “Dalit Sanghatna” wanted to demolish Jamadar’s house located adjacent to the Jaystambh on January 1, 2018.

When asked about it, Nangare Patil said the Jamadar family had received the land as “inam” (award) from Britishers for the “purpose of taking care and maintenance of the War Memorial. As a descendant, Balsaheb Jamadar (advocate Jamadar’s father) constructed a house and carried out cultivation on this land, there was resentment and opposition by a certain group of followers who had come to celebrate Shourya Divas at the Jaystambh, Nangare Patil said, and added that “civil cases relating to the land in question were pending in courts”.

Asked if the “group of followers” were part of the Elgaar Parishad held at Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31, 2017, Nangare Patil said, “I cannot say as that was not within my jurisdiction.”

The villagers, mainly comprising the Maratha Community in Koregaon Bhima staged a rasta roko blocking the Pune Ahmednagar highway for an hour to condemn the violence between Maratha and Dalit communities at the time of celebration of 200th year of battle of Bhima Koregaon (Express archive Photo by Arul Horizon)

According to Pune City Police’s probe, Elgaar Parishad was organised as per the strategy of the banned CPI (Maoist), and speeches delivered at the conclave and previous campaigns for the event were among the factors that caused the January 1 violence. A probe into this case was later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Meanwhile, the affidavit has an image of Nangare Patil’s WhatsApp message to his seniors on January 1, 2018. As stated in this message, Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote was given a “proper message” by the police as he had opposed the celebration of the battle of Koregaon Bhima claiming that “it glorifies Britishers”.

The message also stated, “The Dalit and leftist organisations are trying to show this celebration as the beginning of struggle against Navpeshwai and ripe its political fruits by inciting the feelings of Dalit masses.”

Replying to Advocate Makhare, Nangare Patil said he had gathered necessary information about Ekbote’s activities from Additional SP Sandeep Pakhale and Pune Rural SP Suvez Haque.

Based on a complaint filed by Dalit political activist Anita Sawale, the Pune rural police had booked Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide for allegedly inciting the January 1 violence.

During cross-examination by advocate Hiray, who represents the state, Nangare Patil said information was gathered through intelligence that there was rumour mongering, and sharing of irresponsible social media posts, which caused a communal stir.

“There were inciting speeches and debates on television at various places which instigated the younger generation. The police did their best to control and maintain law and order, but without support from the community, social and political leadership and media, the incident led to damage to public and private properties…” he said.

Commission’s lawyer Aashish Satpute said Nangare Patil’s examination has been concluded. As per the schedule, politician Prakash Ambedkar and IPS officer Rashmi Shukla, who was commissioner of Pune city police at the time of Koregaon Bhima violence, have been called to depose before the commission on August 29 and August 30.