On 1 January 2018, as Dalits gathered at the Koregaon Bhima war memorial near Pune to mark the 200th anniversary of the 1818 battle, stone-pelting and arson broke out on the roads to the memorial and one man was killed. Dalit groups led by Prakash Ambedkar called a Maharashtra bandh on 3 January that halted trains and roads in Mumbai. Separately, Pune Police said a 31 December 2017 conclave, the Elgar Parishad, was backed by Maoists, and arrested 16 activists, lawyers and academics under the anti-terror law UAPA. By May 2026 every surviving accused had bail, but charges have not been framed.
Key takeaways
- On 1 January 2018, stones were thrown at people heading to the Koregaon Bhima memorial near Pune for the battle's 200th anniversary; about 40 vehicles were damaged, 10 were burnt and one man, Rahul Phatangale, was killed.
- Prakash Ambedkar's Maharashtra bandh on 3 January 2018 blocked trains and roads in Mumbai; Mumbai Police registered nine cases and detained over 100 people.
- Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide were booked on a Dalit activist's complaint; Ekbote was arrested in March 2018 after the Supreme Court refused him pre-arrest bail and was bailed within weeks, while police told the state human rights commission in 2022 that there was no evidence against Bhide.
- Pune Police, and later the NIA, said the 31 December 2017 Elgar Parishad was backed by the banned CPI (Maoist); the accused deny this and allege planted evidence.
- Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, 84, died in custody on 5 July 2021 while his medical bail plea was pending.
- All 15 surviving accused had bail by 4 May 2026, mostly on grounds of long detention and parity, but the special NIA court has yet to frame charges, and the state's judicial commission had not reported in the sources reviewed.
Background: the 1818 battle and the week before
The Battle of Bhima Koregaon was fought on 1 January 1818. A British East India Company force with a large contingent of Mahar soldiers defeated the army of the Peshwa, and many Dalits commemorate it as a victory over caste oppression. Some right-wing groups in Pune had objected to celebrating what they called a "British" victory The Quint.
Police told The Indian Express, as reported by The Quint, that an incident in nearby Vadhu Budruk may have led to the violence. On 29 December 2017 a board near the tomb of Govind Gopal Mahar said Mahars had performed the last rites of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in 1689. Local Marathas believe their ancestors did so, and objected, which led to heated exchanges between the two communities, police said The Quint.
The Elgar Parishad of 31 December 2017
On 31 December 2017 a conclave called the Elgar (or Elgaar) Parishad was held at Shaniwarwada in Pune by the Bhima-Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyan Deccan Herald. Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani was among those who attended The Quint.
On 8 January 2018 Pune businessman Tushar Damgude filed a complaint at Vishrambaug police station. It alleged that songs, talks and street plays by members of the cultural group Kabir Kala Manch and others, including anchor Sudhir Dhawale, were inflammatory and led to the stone-pelting and arson the next day. Police registered a case for promoting enmity The Wire. In March 2018 it was made a conspiracy case, and UAPA sections were later added Deccan Herald.
Claim · Accused Dhawale said at the time that right-wing groups had attacked Dalits and that the government was "trying to divert attention by allowing people to lodge FIR against us" The Wire.
What happened on 1 January 2018
Violence broke out on the roads to the memorial after people, reportedly carrying saffron flags, pelted stones at cars heading to the village Scroll. About 40 vehicles were damaged and 10 were set on fire on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway, though prohibitory orders were already in place The Quint.
Rahul Phatangale of Kanhur Mesai, near Sanaswadi, was killed, and a murder case was registered at Shikrapur police station The Quint The Wire. His cousin said the post-mortem showed he was assaulted from behind and that he was not linked to any group The Wire.
Within a week Pune Rural Police registered at least 22 cases over attacks on pilgrims. The state told a Pune court there were over 1,400 suspects and estimated public property losses of over Rs 1.5 crore The Caravan. By 9 January police had made 27 arrests The Wire.
The Maharashtra bandh of 3 January
Protests spread on 2 January to Mumbai's suburbs, Aurangabad, Solapur and other cities The Quint. Prakash Ambedkar of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh then called a statewide bandh for 3 January over what he called the state government's "failure" to stop the violence PTI via Business Standard.
Tracks and highways blocked
Protesters went onto the tracks at Govandi, Mankhurd, Kurla, Thane, Ghatkopar and other stations, and tried to block the Western Express Highway PTI.
Buses damaged
A BMC official said 13 BEST buses were damaged by protesters. Mumbai Mirror put the figure at 48 buses and four drivers injured; the counts may cover different periods PTI Scroll.
Metro shut
Metro services between Ghatkopar and Airport Road were shut. Stone-pelting was reported in Aurangabad and Nagpur Scroll.
Bandh withdrawn
Ambedkar withdrew the call while demanding the harshest punishment for Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide Scroll.
A death in Nanded
A 16-year-old student was killed during a road blockade in Nanded. His family alleged he was injured in a police baton charge, Hindustan Times reported Scroll.
Government's position Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial inquiry, a CID probe into the death and Rs 10 lakh compensation for the family The Quint. On 3 January he said "We are monitoring the CCTV footage of the violence", and Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar said wrong messages were being spread on social media and no member of the Dalit community had died Scroll.
Mumbai Police registered nine cases on 3 January and had detained over 100 people since 2 January PTI.
The cases against Bhide and Ekbote
On 2 January Dalit activist Anita Sawale complained that she and a friend were attacked near Vadhu village on their way back from the memorial, and alleged that the attack and arson were orchestrated by Milind Ekbote of the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Sambhaji Bhide of the Shivraj Pratishthan. Pimpri police booked both under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the Arms Act and IPC sections including attempt to murder and rioting, and transferred the case to Shikrapur Outlook/PTI.
Claim · Ekbote and Bhide Ekbote said organisations were "defaming" his outfit and that he condemned the incident Outlook/PTI. Both denied claims by Dalit leaders that they had been seen in the area Scroll.
Ekbote's pre-arrest bail plea was rejected by a Pune court and the Bombay High Court The Quint. In February 2018 the Supreme Court told the state police, "Do your job. Arrest him, conduct investigations and then tell us" Scroll. On 14 March 2018 it rejected his plea and Pune Rural Police arrested him the same day The Wire/PTI. Prosecutors called him a "main conspirator", but he got bail on 4 April and 19 April in the two cases The Caravan.
Government's position In March 2018 Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Assembly there was no evidence against Bhide The Caravan. Pune Rural Police filed a chargesheet against 41 people in September 2021 without naming Bhide, and in May 2022 told the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission his name had been dropped because "there is no evidence against him so far" Scroll. Sawale has petitioned the Bombay High Court for a judicial inquiry into Bhide's role The Quint.
The "Maoist conspiracy" case and the arrests
On 6 June 2018 Pune Police arrested Dhawale, Nagpur lawyer Surendra Gadling, professor Shoma Sen, researcher Rona Wilson and activist Mahesh Raut. A prosecutor told the court a letter found at Wilson's Delhi home spoke of "another Rajiv Gandhi incident" and of Rs 8 crore for rifles, and that police believed the Elgar Parishad was "backed and funded by the Maoists" The Quint.
On 28 August 2018 police arrested poet Varavara Rao, lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Gautam Navlakha in raids across six states. Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar said the arrests were based on evidence. Gonsalves said "We are being falsely implicated" Deccan Herald.
On 28 September 2018 the Supreme Court, by 2-1, refused historian Romila Thapar's plea for an independent probe. The majority said "it is not a case of arrest because of mere dissenting views", and that this was not the stage to test whether the material was "genuine or fabricated". Justice D Y Chandrachud dissented LiveLaw.
After the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government took office, the Centre handed the case to the NIA in January 2020. Home Minister Anil Deshmukh called this against the Constitution, but said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray "overruled" him. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said it was "even more wrong for the state government to support the transfer" Tribune/PTI. The NIA then arrested Anand Teltumbde and Navlakha in April 2020, Delhi University's Hany Babu in July 2020, Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor in September 2020, and Stan Swamy in October 2020. Kabir Kala Manch artist Jyoti Jagtap was also arrested Free Press Journal The Wire Deccan Herald.
Both accounts
Police, NIA and state account
Police say the Elgar Parishad speeches triggered the violence next day and that the event was backed by Maoists Tribune/PTI. The NIA charges the accused with waging war, membership of the CPI (Maoist) and conspiracy. It alleges Gadling raised funds and "guided the violence", and that Raut passed Rs 5 lakh for the event FPJ/PTI. In court, the state said they were arrested "not because of their political activities" but for links to the banned group LiveLaw.
The accused's account
The accused deny the charges and say they are being punished for dissent. At the defence's request, Arsenal Consulting of the US examined a copy of Wilson's laptop and reported that malware was used to place at least 10 incriminating letters on it, in a hidden folder, from June 2016 IANS via OrissaPOST. Arsenal later said Gadling's computer was also compromised Scroll. Claim · NIA The NIA says its own forensic analysis found no malware, that Arsenal had "no locus standi", and that Wilson must explain how the laptop in his possession was hacked OrissaPOST.
No court has ruled on whether the documents are genuine. Dalit groups have accused Bhide and Ekbote of instigating the violence, while the NIA's focus has been on the Elgar Parishad as part of a wider Maoist conspiracy Scroll.
Stan Swamy's death in custody
Stan Swamy, an 84-year-old Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist, was held in Taloja jail from his arrest in October 2020. He had Parkinson's disease. In May 2021 he was moved to Holy Family Hospital on the High Court's orders. He died there on 5 July 2021, after a cardiac arrest, while his medical bail plea was pending PTI via Morung Express.
Claim · Defence His lawyer Mihir Desai said the NIA was negligent over his medical care and "did not seek Swamy's custody even for a single day, but kept opposing his bail pleas". Claim · NIA The NIA had told the court that Swamy was a Maoist, part of a conspiracy to create unrest, and that there was no "conclusive proof" of his ailments PTI.
Bail, 2021 to 2026
Bail came on different grounds The Wire The Wire:
- Sudha Bharadwaj: default bail, December 2021.
- Varavara Rao: medical bail from the Supreme Court, August 2022.
- Anand Teltumbde: bail on merits, 2022.
- Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira: Supreme Court bail in July 2023, after almost five years LiveLaw.
- Shoma Sen: Supreme Court bail, April 2024.
- Gautam Navlakha: High Court bail in December 2023; the Supreme Court let it take effect on 14 May 2024, saying "Trial would take years and years and years" Tribune.
- Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawale: High Court bail on 8 January 2025, noting over 300 witnesses Tribune.
- Hany Babu: High Court bail on 4 December 2025 after more than five years; the court refused the NIA's request to stay it Siasat/PTI.
- Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor: bail on parity, 23 January 2026 Deccan Herald/PTI.
- Mahesh Raut: medical bail; Jyoti Jagtap: interim bail.
- Surendra Gadling: bail on 4 May 2026 on grounds of long detention and parity. He stays in jail in a separate 2016 Surjagarh mine arson case pending in the Supreme Court The Wire.
Outcome
- Deaths: Rahul Phatangale on 1 January 2018; a 16-year-old in Nanded on 3 January; Stan Swamy in custody in 2021.
- Violence cases: 22 cases by Pune Rural Police; a chargesheet against 41 people in 2021.
- Hindutva leaders: Ekbote arrested March 2018 and bailed in April; Bhide not charged.
- Elgar Parishad case: 16 arrested under UAPA; all 15 survivors had bail by May 2026.
What is still pending
The trial. In August 2022 the Supreme Court told the NIA court to decide on charges within three months Scroll. When Gadling got bail in May 2026, discharge applications were still pending and charges had not been framed The Quint. Defence lawyers blame chargesheets filed in instalments and copies of seized devices not supplied Scroll.
The Commission of Inquiry. On 9 February 2018 the state appointed retired Justice Jai Narayan Patel and Chief Secretary Sumit Mullick to look into the events, who was responsible and whether police presence was adequate, with four months to report The Quint/PTI. In December 2024 it declined Ambedkar's request to call Fadnavis as a witness LiveLaw. In October 2025 it issued a show-cause notice to Uddhav Thackeray over a 2020 letter from Sharad Pawar that, Ambedkar says, blamed Fadnavis and the Pune Police for the violence. Its term then ran to 1 March 2026 LiveLaw. In January 2026 Thackeray said by affidavit that the letter should be with the current Chief Minister's office The Focus India. No final report had been made public in the sources reviewed.
Questions people ask
What happened at Bhima Koregaon on 1 January 2018?
At the 200th anniversary of the 1818 battle, people heading to the war memorial near Pune were attacked with stones, vehicles were burnt and one man was killed. Dalit groups blame Hindutva groups; police later also blamed speeches at the Elgar Parishad the day before.
Were Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote charged?
Both were booked in January 2018. Ekbote was arrested in March 2018 and bailed weeks later. Police told the state human rights commission in 2022 that Bhide's name was dropped for lack of evidence.
How did Stan Swamy die?
The 84-year-old priest died of a cardiac arrest in a Mumbai hospital on 5 July 2021 while in judicial custody, as his medical bail plea was pending. His lawyer blamed NIA and prison negligence; the NIA had opposed his bail.
Are the Bhima Koregaon accused still in jail?
All 15 surviving accused had bail in the case by May 2026. Surendra Gadling remains in custody in a separate Gadchiroli arson case.
Sources
- Scroll: Maharashtra bandh live, Prakash Ambedkar lifts order, 3 Jan 2018
- The Quint: Bhima Koregaon 200th anniversary violence, 1-2 Jan 2018
- PTI via Business Standard: Maharashtra bandh turns violent, rail and road traffic hit, 3 Jan 2018
- Outlook/PTI: Two right-wing leaders booked, 3 Jan 2018
- The Wire: FIR against Kabir Kala Manch members for promoting enmity, 9 Jan 2018
- The Wire: Relatives of youth killed demand speedy justice, 9 Jan 2018
- The Quint/PTI: Judicial commission to probe Bhima Koregaon riots, 9 Feb 2018
- Scroll: SC tells Maharashtra Police to arrest Milind Ekbote, 21 Feb 2018
- The Wire/PTI: Milind Ekbote arrested after SC rejects anticipatory bail, 15 Mar 2018
- The Quint: Police cite letter on plot against PM, 8 June 2018
- Deccan Herald: Varavara Rao and four others arrested, 29 Aug 2018
- The Caravan: 22 FIRs uninvestigated, a main conspirator on bail, 14 Sept 2018
- LiveLaw: Not a case of arrest for dissent, SC turns down plea for SIT, 28 Sept 2018
- Tribune/PTI: Pawar criticises Uddhav government for letting NIA probe Elgar Parishad case, 15 Feb 2020
- IANS via OrissaPOST: NIA challenges laptop hacking charge by US firm, 1 May 2021
- PTI via Morung Express: Stan Swamy dies in custody awaiting medical bail, 5 July 2021
- The Quint: Where are the Hindutva leaders accused of violence?, 12 July 2021
- Scroll: Sambhaji Bhide's name dropped from Bhima Koregaon case, 5 May 2022
- Scroll: SC tells NIA court to decide on framing charges within three months, 19 Aug 2022
- Free Press Journal/PTI: Status of 16 accused in Elgar Parishad case, 19 Aug 2022
- LiveLaw: Supreme Court grants bail to Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, 28 July 2023
- Tribune: Supreme Court grants bail to Gautam Navlakha, 14 May 2024
- The Wire: Who has been released and who remains behind bars, 19 May 2024
- LiveLaw: Commission refuses to summon CM Fadnavis as witness, 20 Dec 2024
- Tribune: Court grants bail to Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, 8 Jan 2025
- Scroll: Bail for Bhima Koregaon accused highlights extraordinary delay in trial, 27 Jan 2025
- LiveLaw: Commission issues show-cause notice to Uddhav Thackeray, 31 Oct 2025
- Siasat/PTI: HC grants bail to ex-DU professor Hany Babu, 4 Dec 2025
- The Focus India (Marathi): Thackeray's affidavit to the commission on Pawar's letter, 9 Jan 2026
- Deccan Herald/PTI: Bombay HC grants bail to two activists, 23 Jan 2026
- The Wire: Surendra Gadling gets bail after almost eight years, 4 May 2026
- The Quint: Bombay HC grants bail to Surendra Gadling after eight years, May 2026