Video: Who Is Sneha Barve? Pune Journalist Attacked By Mob While Reporting In Manchar

It was just another day of reporting for Sneha Barve, a journalist for a YouTube channel in Pune's Manchar, but she was attacked by a mob and beaten up while she was reporting on July 4 in broad daylight.

After the video of the assault went viral, in which she was heard crying for help as she fell to the ground and the people kept beating her up, the case was registered at Manchar Police Station.

A case has been registered at the Manchar Police Station in Pune district against 12 individuals for allegedly assaulting a female journalist and three others who had gone to report on unauthorised construction within Nighotwadi village limits.

What exactly happened?

According to police, the incident occurred on Friday around 5:30 PM, when journalist Sneha Barve was called by landowners to report on an illegally constructed shed and shop on Survey No. 41/1.

The case of the land dispute is currently pending before the Sub-Division Officer and civil court.

As Barve, along with Vijendra Thorat, Santosh Kale, and complainant Sudhakar Baburao Kale, was documenting the site, Pandurang Morde, his sons Prashant and Nilesh Morde, and eight to nine others allegedly arrived at the scene and attacked the group with wooden sticks and kicks. The assailants also allegedly threatened to kill the victims.

Five individuals, including Pandurang Morde’s two sons, have been arrested in connection with the case. All of them are currently out on bail. Police officials stated that Morde has not yet been arrested as he reportedly sustained a fracture during the altercation.

The chilling camera footage that has now come to light shows Barve reporting at the site while the mob approaches her and begins beating her as she cries for help.

Who is Sneha Barve?

Sneha Barve has been working as a journalist for the past eight years. Driven by her passion for independent reporting, she went on to start her own publication and YouTube channel. Known for her bold journalism, Barve has courted controversy in the past.

In July last year, she filed a police complaint against former Shirur MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, alleging that he threatened her and blamed her reporting for his electoral defeat. The incident, captured on video, was aired by local news channels.

She was reporting for Samarth Bharat Pariwar (SBP), a registered newspaper and YouTube news channel. The channel has nearly 10,000 subscribers. Created in April 2016, it has amassed over 2.4 million views across 688 videos.