Activists protesting against the arrests of activists and alleged state repression, in New Delhi | Photo: PTI Activists protesting against the arrests of activists and alleged state repression, in New Delhi | Photo: PTI Last week, the Bombay High Court granted bail to prominent rights activists Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawale in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case. The two were arrested on the accusations of being 'urban naxals' and linked to the banned CPI(Maoist) organisation. Of the 16 accused--including Wilson, Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Rautking game, and activists like Arun Ferreira, Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao, and lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj--Father Stan Swamy died in custody while many others are out on bail.
As of 2025, no charges have been framed against the accused, and the trial is yet to begin with over 300 witnesses to testify in the case.
Pune police claimed to have found incriminating evidence in Wilson's laptop from suspected Maoists on a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A US-based digital forensics firm, Arsenal Consulting, found that Wilson’s laptop was hacked by members of the Pune police and infiltrated by malware.
According to the security agencies, the accused were part of a larger conspiracy to overthrow the government and were involved in procuring arms, recruiting, and funding Naxal activities.
What Freedom Means For India's Political PrisonersHere’s the story so far:
On 1 January, the morning of the new year in 2018, violent clashes broke out in the Koregaon Bhima village near Pune as thousands of Dalit people gathered at the Vijay Stambh- victory pillar to mark the bicentenary celebrations of the Bhima Koregaon battle. Mahars, the formerly untouchable castes fought the historic battle in 1818 on the side of the British forces and defeated the Peshwa troops, thereby officially ending the Maratha confederacy and expansion of the British rule in Maharashtra.
These two teams are meeting for the first time in the tournament in group stage.
Hannan Shahid was named the hero of the match for his spectacular double. Pakistan's five goals, which decisively thrashed China in Hulunbuir, have secured their place in the semi-finals of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024, where they join India. This sets up the potential for an India vs. Pakistan final, though the two teams will first face off in their fifth match on Saturday.
Dalits commemorate the military victory as a defeat of casteism against Marathas who discriminated and subjugated the Dalits.
The annual celebration escalated into violence as pro-Hindutva groups carrying saffron flags reportedly attacked the largely Dalit crowd with swords and metal rods. The clash led to the death of one person.
free slot games for funThe initial FIR filed in Pune alleged Hindutva leaders, Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, led the unruly mob that carried out the violence. A second FIR alleged that “leftist groups with Maoist links” had instigated the violence.
In the investigation that followed, the first FIR was sidelined and the Pune police claimed, the violence was spurred by provocative speeches and slogans raised at the Elgar Parishad, a conference held at Shaniwarwada—the former seat of Peshwa rulers—on 31 December.
The Parishad was organised by former judges, civic and social activists along with more than 200 civil society organisations to celebrate the bicentenary anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle and to fight against oppression. During the event, activists took an oath to defeat the new Peshwai, imposed by upper caste Hindutva ideologues belonging to the Bhartiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).
Prior to the Parishad, the village of Vadhu Budruk near Koregaon Bhima also witnessed caste based tensions and vandalism. Dalit villagers had erected a board pointing to the tomb of Govind Gopal Mahar, who reportedly performed the last rites of Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose decimated body was thrown into the Bhima river by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.
The Marathas, who claim to be descendants of Shivaji’s clan, objected and pulled down the board asserting that Sambhaji’s last rites were "honourably" performed by Maratha family of Shivale Deshmukh and not Dalits. Marathas claimed Dalits were distorting history, while Dalits alleged the Marathas were erasing their legacy.
The claims and counterclaims led to violence between the Marathas and the Dalits. The event was one of the trigger point when millions of Dalits gathered at the Koregaon Bhima village a few days later.
Howeverking game, the police ignored the caste angle and pursued the larger left-wing conspiracy based on a fact-finding report by an RSS aligned think-tank Forum for Integrated National Security (FINS).