Journalist Nikhil Wagle rejects security cover despite death threat

Senior journalist Nikhil Wagle, who has been receiving threats from the right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha, has rejected the security cover offered to him by the Maharashtra government.

The government has offered security cover to Wagle in view of increased threat perception to him in the wake of the arrest of a Sanatan Sanstha activist in connection with the Govind Pansare murder case

“Last week, police officials came to me saying that government has decided to offer security cover in view of general threat perception. However, they did not specify whether it was because of the threat from Sanatan,” Wagle told PTI.

“I have been getting threats from Sanatan. Four years ago, Abhay Vartak of Sanatan (Sanstha) walked out of a programme I hosted. Even as recently as last week, Sanatan Prabhat (a publication of the outfit) carried an article warning me,” he said.

Sameer Gaikwad, an active member of Sanathan Sanstha, was arrested last week in connection with murder of slain rationalist Govind Pansare. He is being interrogated by Maharashtra police officials in Kolhapur.

Pansare, 82, and his wife, Uma were shot at by two motorcycle-borne youths on February 16, 2015, near their home in Kolhapur. Pansare died four days later at the BreachCandyHospital in Mumbai while his wife survived the attack, suffering injuries that crippled her.