Fresh threats to Pune Journalist Sneha Barve

Three weeks after the heinous attack on her, journalist Sneha Barve, resumed duty in her office on July 24, 2025. She was greeted by this threat: “Next time, we’ll finish this matter off for good.” The words, uttered within her earshot by Prashant Morde, son of the prime accused Pandurang Morde, who had beaten her unconscious with a wooden rod on July 4, 2025, are a chilling indication of the near-total impunity that shrouds the attack on her.

Image credit: X/Mumbaikhabar9

Pandurang Morde, the prime accused, is yet to be arrested. But that is just one part of the horror of the attack, that went viral after a video showed how she was beaten while she was doing a piece-to-camera about his alleged illegal construction activity on the Godh riverbed in Nigotwadi village in Manchar in Pune district.

Barve, talking to FSC, said that she was very apprehensive that the Morde family was planning something more serious against her, her family and her colleagues. “I immediately told the police that if anything happens to us, they will be responsible.” But till date, they have done nothing, she said.

Morde’s sons, Prashant and Nilesh, had been arrested by police but given the nature of the minor charges of rioting, unlawful assembly and injury (Sections 118(1), 115(2), 189(2), 191(2), 190 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita), they were released on bail three days later. Morde himself escaped arrest as he claimed to be undergoing treatment for a fractured leg.

Twice, since then, she has received threats. On July 17, Morde’s son Prashant, went to her village and made enquiries about her residence and her family members. He also allegedly tried to find out about the other witnesses and the complainants in the attack. She immediately called the police, and the Senior Police Inspector Shrikant Kankare assured her that Prashant Morde would be summoned and warned.

On July 24, Barve, who is still under treatment for injuries to her head and spine, had decided to resume office. She was on her way out when she spotted Prashant Morde lurking around at the entrance with a local builder Ramdas Jadhav. Jadhav was inimical towards her and had tried to attack her in 2015 as he suspected her of complaining against him for electricity theft.

The police investigation into the attack of July 4 has not proceeded at all. Asked why the prime accused is still to be arrested, police said he is undergoing medical treatment. Morde was yet to be taken to a government hospital even for the cursory medical examination.

Inspector Kankare told FSC that the police had forwarded an application for the cancellation of the bail granted to Prashant Morde as he had clearly violated bail conditions by his threatening behaviour with witnesses and the complainant.

Barve, in the meantime, is keen on getting back to work. “I consciously did not take up any corporate job as I have always been keen on journalism. I have done a lot of work in this area for the last eight years and reported on so many issues. But these people who I have written or reported against are all banding together to silence me.”

Read the previous report here in English, and here in Marathi.