‘Killing’ of Journalist Shashikant Warishe Triggers Concern Among Journalists, Activists

New Delhi: The Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists (BUJ) and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in Maharashtra have both expressed shock and concern over the death of journalist Sashikant Warishe.

The BUJ has called for a thorough investigation into the matter and for justice to be served. While the PUCL believes that Warishe’s “killing” is a means of silencing those who speak out against the injustices in the acquisition of land for the oil refinery project.

Warishe was allegedly mowed down by a car driven by a local land dealer, Pandharinath Amberkar, near the Rajapur highway on February 6, 2023. The journalist succumbed to his injuries the following day. Eyewitnesses claim that Amberkar turned his vehicle into Warishe after spotting him on the highway.

Amberkar is a real estate dealer and a supporter of the proposed refinery — the Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemical Ltd (RRPCL)- against whom Warishe had written an article published on Monday. The article was titled ‘Photo of criminal on banner alongside PM, CM and DCM claim farmers protesting against refinery’, in a local daily Mahanagri Times, where Warishe had alleged that Amberkar had criminal antecedents.

Warishe had been reporting on the citizens' concerns regarding the proposed oil refinery plant in the area and had been covering the agitation over the Nanar refinery. Local agriculturists had opposed the project due to fears that it would destroy the environment and their livelihoods. Although the Maharashtra government had scrapped the project, it was later shifted to Barsu-Salgaon, but opposition from local groups continued.

A report published in The Indian Express, quoted the editor-in-chief of Mahanagri Times stating that Warishe had been covering the matter extensively. “He has been constantly writing about the refinery and the concerns that the villagers had about the project. He wrote extensively on the land acquisition fears of the villagers as well as the concerns of environmentalists,” Sadashiv Kerkar, the editor-in-chief of Mahanagari Times, said.

PUCL (Maharashtra) also believes Warishe's “killing” was a result of his reporting on the ongoing agitation of residents over the RRPCL in the eco-sensitive zone in Rajapur taluka of Ratnagiri district. The RRPCL is promoted by three major public sector oil companies – Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd – was originally planned in Nanar village of Ratnagiri.

Activists and villages have been protesting against the refinery project in the Konkan region, fearing pollution and destruction of the area, which is largely dependent on agriculture and is famous for Alphonso mangoes.

The group has demanded a speedy and impartial investigation into the alleged killing and that the accused be held accountable for their actions.

“Photographic evidence clearly shows the manner in which Warishe’s two-wheeler was crushed under the wheels of the SUV. While details are awaited on the entire case, it was apparent that Warishe was targeted for his article in the newspaper that said that FIRs had been lodged against Amberkar for land grab intimidation,” the PUCL statement read. 

The organisation has also called for immediate cessation of land acquisition for the refinery project, stating that the ongoing repression in the area has greatly increased and that locals are not even allowed to hold peaceful meetings. The family of the deceased journalist should also be compensated and protected, said PUCL (Maharashtra).

In conclusion, PUCL (Maharashtra) has demanded justice for the murder of Shashikant Warishe and an end to the repression of peaceful protestors and the acquisition of land for the controversial refinery project.

The police arrested the accused shortly after the incident and he was taken into police custody until February 14, according to The Indian Express. “We had initially booked him under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) but enhanced the charges to section 302 (murder) of the IPC after the complainant testified that Warishe was murdered with a motive. Prima facie evidence too pointed to Amberkar’s intention to kill,” Ratnatgiri Superintendent of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni was quoted in the report.

The report also mentions that amid claims that Amberkar was associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party, a party leader from the Konkan region said: “Pandharinath Amberkar had recently joined the BJP. He was part of the pro-refinery group that wanted to be associated with the BJP. He does not hold any post.”