Rs 5 lakh bounty announced for info on Pansare’s killers

The Kolhapur police on Sunday announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh to any person providing information about communist leader Govind Pansare's killers.

The Kolhapur police on Sunday announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh to any person providing information about communist leader Govind Pansare's killers.

Pansare succumbed to bullet injuries late on Friday, five days after he along with his wife Uma were shot at by motor-born assailants when the couple was returning home in Kolhapur after a morning walk. The police have not been able to make a breakthrough in the case so far.

The Kolhapur superintendent of police announced the cash reward saying the name of the informer will be kept confidential. The investigating officials are probing whether the assailants had used the motorbike which they have seized.

Kolhapur resident Rajendra Patil first saw the new bike without registration number lying near the median of a road near Pansare’s home in Sagarmala minutes after the communist leader was shot at.

The new bike lying in the road near Pansare's home minutes after the shooting was first spotted by a Kolhapur resident, who took pictures of the bike and alerted police. The police have seized the bike and the investigation has been initiated.

“I saw the bike was suspiciously lying unattended at the median. I called up control room and informed the police,” said the resident.

Based on the information shared by witnesses, investigators have prepared four sketches of the assailants. However the probe officials have not yet released the sketch since the prime witness in the case, Uma Pansare, has not been able to record her statement.

Meanwhile to protest the killing of communist leader, a bandh was observed in Kolhapur and parts of western Maharashtra. The bandh however evoked moderate response as markets in most cities barring Kolhapur and Satara were functional as usual. The bandh was called by leftists outfits and supported by Congress and NCP.