Journalist Sneha Barve attacked: NWMI demands accused Morde’s arrest

The Network of Women in Media India (NWMI) has expressed shock and condemnation of the brutal attack on woman journalist Sneha Barve, the editor of Samarth Bharat newspaper and SBP YouTube channel, in Manchar town near Pune in Maharashtra on July 4.

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NWMI demanded the immediate arrest of assailant Pandurang Morde on charges of attempt to murder.

Accused's criminal record

Morde, who has a criminal record, is already out on bail in an attempt to murder case. He is a local businessman with allegedly close ties to the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. Thus far, there has been no condemnation of this attack from the Maharashtra government, NWMI said.

Sneha was viciously beaten with a big wooden rod even as she was broadcasting a video report of the illegal construction activity on a riverbed, allegedly by Morde and his family. A video recording of the attack clearly shows her assailant beating her even as she screamed for help. Bystanders who came to assist her were also beaten.

The beating stopped when she became unconscious. Sneha was taken to a nearby hospital and then shifted to the D Y Patil Hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad. She had severe swelling and persistent headaches and needs to visit the hospital daily for check-ups.

While Sneha was hospitalised and unable to give a statement to police, a complaint was filed by Sudhakar Baburao Kale, one of the vegetable vendors who was also hurt in the attack.

What FIR says

Shockingly, instead of applying the more serious charge of attempt to murder, the First Information Report (FIR) listed sections 118 (2), 115 (2), 189 (2), 191 (2), 190 and 351 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to grievous hurt, intimidation, unlawful assembly and intimidation, which attract a maximum punishment of between one and two years only, NWMI said.

While the main accused, Morde is in hospital with an alleged fracture, other accused were arrested but secured bail, enabled by the relatively less serious charges against them.

As per NWMI, the UNESCO report Press and Planet in Danger, 2024, revealed instances in which at least 749 journalists and news media outlets reporting on environmental issues were targeted with murder, physical violence, detention and arrest, online harassment or legal attacks in the period 2009-2023. More than 300 attacks occurred between 2019-2023 – a 42 per cent increase on the preceding five-year period (2014-2018).

'Cancel bail'

Of the cases of at least 44 journalists investigating environmental issues over the last 15 years, only five have resulted in convictions – a shocking impunity rate of almost 90 per cent. Sneha must not end up adding to this abysmal figure, it added.

NWMI demanded that police act promptly to lodge more serious charges against all the accused and that the bail granted to the main accused Morde be cancelled forthwith.

It also demanded that the Maharashtra government act promptly to ensure that journalists are protected while on duty.

“It is highly regrettable that Maharashtra, which is the first state to pass legislation to protect journalists at the workplace, is dragging its feet to ensure safety and security of working journalists,” NWMI said.