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Indian police arrests suspect in assassination of left-wing leader

Xinhua, September 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Indian police arrested a member of a Hindu extreme right-wing group for allegedly shooting dead a official of the Communist Party of India in February, local media reported Wednesday.

The suspect, Samir V. Gaikwad, 32, is a full-time activist with the Sanatan Sanstha Hindu organization. He was arrested in Sangli town in the western-central state of Maharashatra for allegedly killing Govind Pansare, a senior Communist Party official.

Pansare, 81, was attacked on Feb. 16 in Kolhapur when he was shot at from a close range near his house and died of bullet injuries four days later. His wife Uma, who was also shot and seriously injured, survived the attack.

Police Additional Director General of Police Sanjay Kumar told media here that the suspect could be "directly or indirectly connected" with the Pansare killing.

Gaikwad, a small businessman owning a mobile phone repair shop, was picked up for questioning late Tuesday night and placed under arrest Wednesday.

The killing of Pansare had led to a national outcry, spurring the police to hasten the investigations.

While violence over political issues is common in India, political assassination against left-wing leaders is rare. Endi