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Gauri Lankesh Murder Accused Shrikant Pangarkar Wins Jalna Civic Poll, Supporters Celebrate: WATCH
Ayesha Fatima | January 16, 2026 5:41 PM CST

Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, celebrated with supporters after winning the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections as an independent candidate.

Pangarkar secured victory from Ward 13, where he faced candidates from the BJP and several other parties. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena did not field a candidate in the ward.

Past Political Links and Shiv Sena Controversy

Ahead of the November 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, Pangarkar had joined the Shiv Sena. However, following public backlash over his induction, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde placed his entry into the party in abeyance.

Pangarkar has a long political history in Jalna. He previously served as a municipal councillor from the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001 and 2006. After being denied a ticket in 2011, he joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.

Arrest, Charges and Bail in Lankesh Case

Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist and critic of right-wing politics, was shot dead outside her residence in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017, sparking nationwide outrage and debate over liberalism, secularism and communalism in India.

In August 2018, Pangarkar was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in connection with the seizure of crude bombs and weapons from various locations across the state. He was booked under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. In the Gauri Lankesh murder case, he was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4, 2024.

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