Premium

Members of Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry visit ‘Jaystambh’ with Elgaar Parishad activist

Activist Potdar is among the organisers of the Elgaar Parishad—a conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of battle of Koregaon Bhima.

5 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 10, 2026 09:15 AM IST

The two member Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry at ‘Jaystambh'. (Express Photo/Arul Horizon)

Members of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry, along with activist Harshali Potdar and lawyers representing different parties, visited the ‘Jaystambh’ at Perne village in Pune district on Friday.

The two-member commission, headed by retired Calcutta High Court justice J N Patel, is probing the causes that led to the violence in Koregaon Bhima area on January 1, 2018, that killed one person and injured several others. Former chief secretary Sumit Mallick is the second member of the commission.

Activist Potdar is among the organisers of the Elgaar Parishad—a conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of battle of Koregaon Bhima.

According to a Pune city police probe, the Elgaar Parishad was organised according to the strategy of the banned CPI-Maoist and speeches delivered at the conclave and previous campaigns for the event were among the factors that allegedly caused the January 1 violence.

Elgaar Parishad organisers have denied the allegations. In her affidavit filed before the Commission, Potdar has blamed Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide for the Koregaon Bhima violence.

Also Read | And then there were 3: One more granted bail, charges not framed yet, Elgaar Parishad case creaks

Potdar is being cross examined by special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray before the Commission. During the hearing on January 7, the Commission noted that Potdar has replied “I will check and revert” to a lot of questions put to her by Hiray.

The commission observed that many of these questions were related to ‘Jaystambh’, a “defence memorial” erected at Perne village by the British government around 1822, in memory of its soldiers who fought against the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818.

Story continues below this ad

The Commission mentioned it would be appropriate for Potdar to visit the Jaystambh and get her answers “verified and confirmed relating to inscription on the monument/war memorial.”

Accordingly, as per the Commission’s proposal, Potdar visited the Jaystambh on Friday, in the presence of retired justice J N Patel and Sumit Mullick, and viewed the historical information inscripted on it by the British. Commission’s secretary V V Palnitkar, lawyer Aashish Satpute, advocates B G Bansode, Kiran Channe, M V Deshmukh, Rohan Jamadar and others were also present at that time.

As per a Dalit Ambedkarite narrative, the British Army, comprising 500 soldiers from the Mahar community, defeated a 28,000-strong force of Peshwas in this battle. Lakhs of Ambedkarites visit the Jaystambh on January 1, calling it ‘Shaurya Din (victory day)’ to pay tribute to soldiers who, they believe, fought a war for freedom against the alleged casteism of the Peshwas.

Dr Ambedkar had visited the Jaystambh on January 1, 1927, as part of the historic anti-British movement against the ban on recruitment of the then “untouchables” in the British Army.

Story continues below this ad

The Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry at Vadhu Budruk village.

Members of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry at the historic Vadhu Budruk village, known for samadhi of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. (Express Photo/Arul Horizon)

The Britishers are said to have appointed soldier Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar – who was wounded in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima – as the in-charge of the Jaystambh on December 13, 1824.

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

At the Jaystambh on Friday, advocate Rohan Jamadar, a successor of Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar, showed copies of some contemporary historical documents related to the Koregaon Bhima battle of 1818 to the commission members, who further visited the samadhi of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at the Vadhu Budruk village, located about 4 km away.

They then visited a memorial of ‘Bapuji and Padmavati Shivale’ in the village. Citing this memorial, Marathas from Vadhu Budruk believe it was their ancestors, the Shivale Deshmukhs, who had defied the orders of Aurangzeb and performed the last rites of Sambhaji Maharaj after he was killed by the Mughal emperor in 1689.

Story continues below this ad

ALSO READ | CMO should have Sharad Pawar’s letter blaming Fadnavis govt for Koregaon Bhima violence: Uddhav Thackeray

The members also paid a visit to a disputed tomb-like structure in Vadhu Budruk, which, according to the Dalit Mahar community, is the samadhi of Govind Gopal Dhegoji Meghoji, a 17th century figure. The Mahar community claims that Govind Gopal performed the last rites of the king. The Gaikwad family from the village claims to be successors of Govind Gopal.

A board with the ‘disputed history’ of Govind Gopal erected in Vadhu Budruk on the intervening night of December 28 and 29, 2017, had led to an altercation, which was seen as one of the triggers for Koregaon Bhima violence on January 1.

Since then, Vadhu Budruk is considered one of the most sensitive locations in Pune district. Personnel from the Pune rural police were present as the commission members interacted with different persons in the village, including Gram Panchayat office bearers, on Friday.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Tags:
Elgaar Parishad case

Loading Taboola...