Maharashtra: Journalist beaten up in Jalgaon; opposition leaders condemn attack

A journalist with a regional daily was attacked by a group of persons in Maharashtras Jalgaon district police said on Thursday reported the PTILeader of Opposition in the state assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut condemned the attack and alleged that goons of local Shiv Sena MLA Kishor Patil were behind it according to the PTIHowever Kishor Patil denied the charge and said he had no connection with the incident which took place in Pachora area of Jalgaon on Wednesday afternoon the news agency reportedThe journalist Sandeep Mahajan had reported about a case of rape and murder of a minor girl in Pachora area and criticised Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over the incidentAn audio clip recently went viral on social media wherein Pachora legislator Patil was purportedly heard abusing the journalistTalking to PTI Patil said I had verbally abused him Mahajan as there were strong reasons for it However I have no connection with the attack that has taken place I was in Mumbai when the incident occurred I do not support this attackNationalist Congress Party NCP working president Supriya Sule also condemned the incident and demanded that the state government take action against the attackersA video of the incident went viral on social media platforms in which journalist Sandeep Mahajan was seen being pulled down from his twowheeler and kicked and punched by some personsBased on a complaint filed by the journalist the Pachora police have registered a noncognisable offence against threefour persons under Indian Penal Code Sections 323 voluntarily causing hurt 504 intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and 506 criminal intimidation an official told the PTIThe police have issued notices to the accused persons he saidSenior state Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar in a social media post said I condemn the cowardly attack on journalist Sandeep Mahajan by the goons of Shiv Sena MLA Kishor Patil People will show such an arrogant MLA and his government their place soonIt is now clear what happens to the common man in a state where the voice of journalists is suppressed and they are beaten up he saidThe journalist had raised questions and sought justice for an eightyear girl who was raped and murdered the Congress leader said noting the girl was from Patils constituencyMahajans reporting of the incident irked Patil and the latter abused him in filthy language he claimedWill the chief minister and home minister show courage to take action against Patil the Congress leader askedNCP working president and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule also condemned the attack on MahajanIt is antidemocratic and a very serious matter where goons are sent to beat up a journalist for asking difficult questions to the chief minister of the state It is the right of the journalists to ask questions and it is unfortunate if such right is taken away from them she said on X formerly known as TwitterHow can the states home minister sit quietly and watch such attacks He should take immediate action against the goons and people backing them she demandedShiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut alleged Mahajan was mercilessly attacked by goons of Shinde faction MLA Kishor PatilLaw and order in the state has deteriorated so much I think Maharashtra is going the Manipur way the Rajya Sabha member claimedwith PTI inputs