Mon Jul 14 05:07:56 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Sambhaji Brigade Founder Pravin Gaikwad Attacked in Akkalkot Over Remarks on Swami Samarth**

**Mumbai/Pune, July 14, 2025:** Pravin Gaikwad, a founding member of the Sambhaji Brigade, was attacked and had ink thrown on him by alleged activists from the Shivdharm Foundation in Akkalkot, Solapur district, on Sunday, July 13, 2025. The incident reportedly stemmed from remarks made by Mr. Gaikwad regarding Swami Samarth, a revered figure in the region.

Video footage circulating online shows Mr. Gaikwad being forcibly removed from his car and physically assaulted by a group. According to officials, supporters of the Shivdharm Foundation also protested while Mr. Gaikwad was in his car, hurled black ink, and attempted to damage the vehicle.

Mr. Gaikwad, who was in Akkalkot to attend a felicitation ceremony, claims the attack was motivated by his progressive views and carried out by followers of Hindutva ideology. The protesters also objected to Mr. Gaikwad’s usage of “Sambhaji” instead of “Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj” and demanded the Sambhaji Brigade be renamed to include the honorific.

Police have booked Deepak Kate and six other members of the Shivdharm Foundation under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for rioting and initially detained them before releasing them with notices.

Mr. Gaikwad described the attack as an attempt on his life, linking it to a pattern of violence against progressive thinkers. “In the current regime, activists with progressive thoughts are unsafe,” he stated, referencing the murders of Dr. Pansare, Kalburgi, Dr. Dabholkar, and Gauri Lankesh. He maintained that the Sambhaji Brigade works for humanity and operates within the framework of the Constitution.

The Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha organization named after Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, previously gained notoriety in 2004 for allegedly attacking the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune over a book on Shivaji Maharaj.

NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe condemned the attack, stating, “Ideological opposition should be expressed through ideas. This path of violence is highly condemnable and deplorable.” MLA Jitendra Awhad offered support to Mr. Gaikwad, lauding him as a “champion of progressive thoughts and a fighter.”

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