Sanatan Sanstha: Hardline Hindu in thought, violent in action

The organisation has been hit by controversies ever since its activists were arrested in several bomb blast cases.

Sanatan Sanstha, a hardline Hindutva organisation, now in the news with the arrest of its worker in connection with the murder of veteran communist leader Govind Pansare in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, was founded on March 24, 1999 by a psychiatrist Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavle.

As mentioned on the organisation’s website “www.sanatan.org”, it mainly aims to spread “spirituality”, impart dharm shikhshan (religious education) and work for the establishment of “Dharmadhisthit Hindu Rasthra”.

Besides conducting meetings for Dharma Parchaar (spreading religion) and setting up stalls during religious events like Kumbh Mela in Nashik, the Sanatan Sanstha publishes a daily named Sanatan Prabhat, for propagating its thoughts.

The outfit is known for taking a “hardline” in the name religion. For instance, during the Ganesh festival it appeals to people to immerse their Ganesh idols in a river and not in water tanks — civic bodies and environmentalist appeal to citizens to immerse Ganesh idols in water tanks to avoid water pollution.

Sanatan Sanstha’s headquarters is at Ramnathi, Ponda in Goa. Another big centre of the outfit is at Panvel in Maharashtra. It has offices in Pune, Mumbai, Miraj (Sangli) and other parts of the state. It claims to have thousands of devotees.

The organisation has been hit by controversies ever since its activists were arrested in several bomb blast cases.

Santan Sanstha workers Vikram Bhave and Ramesh Gadkari were convicted and awarded 10 years life imprisonment for planting a bomb in the parking area of Gadkari Rangaytan auditorium in Thane on June 4, 2008, to protest against a play Amhi Satpute, which they claimed showed Hindu Gods in poor light. The duo are currently out on bail.

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Sanatan activists were also found to be involved in a bomb blast in Madgaon, Goa in October 2009. As per police records, Sanatan Sanstha had opposed a Narkasur effigy competition in Madgaon. Two Sanatan members Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, then residing in Goa, were allegedly carrying a bomb in their scooter for planting near the competition spot on the eve of Diwali on October 16. The duo died as the bomb went off prematurely. Police later arrested six Sanatan Sanstha members in this case.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over investigation of the case. Investigators alleged that a Sanatan worker, who was also an engineering student, played a key role in preparing the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), carrying detonators and timer devices, for the blast. However, all six were acquitted. Some Sanatan workers are still missing in this case.

Now, a full time Sanatan Santha worker Sameer Vishnu Gaikwad of Sangli has been arrested in Govind Pansare murder case.

Claiming to be a protector of “Hindu Dharma” the Sanatan Sansta has not only been doing propaganda work — writing articles, carrying cartoons in Sanatan Prabhat, releasing pamphlets, conducting agitations and filing court against rationalists like Dr. Narendra Dabholkar and Pansare — but it has also opposed the RSS and BJP and even PM Narendra Modi many times, claiming their policies are “anti Hindu”.

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