Govind Pansare was associated with various social movements in the state and was leading anti-toll movement in Kolhapur.

In an attack reminiscent of the Narendra Dabholkar murder of 2013, motorbike-borne assailants fired at prominent CPI leader and trade unionist Govind Pansare and his wife, Uma, in Western Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district on Monday morning.

Mr. Pansare is in a critical condition, while Ms. Pansare, who suffered a serious head injury, is said to be out of danger.

According to eyewitnesses, the 82-year-old activist, who had been keeping poor health for some time, was about to enter his house in the city’s Sagarmala locality after a morning stroll when pistol toting, muffler-wrapped gunmen repeatedly shot at him. Mr. Pansare was struck thrice on his chest and neck, while his wife suffered a depressed skull fracture on the left side of her head. Stunned neighbours rushed them to the Aster Aadhar hospital in Kolhapur.

According to hospital reports, three operations were successfully performed on him. “We have succeeding in stanching the flow of blood from the neck,” said a doctor. “We are still operating on the chest wound. His pulse rate and blood pressure are normal and he is responding to treatment.” He is said to be in a coma.

Hospital sources said Ms. Uma Pansare was conscious.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked the police to apprehend the shooters at the earliest. “The assailants will not be spared,” he said. “The police have been asked to launch a massive manhunt. Roadblocks have been set up all over the district. We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts.” He told reporters in Mumbai that ten teams had been constituted to crack the case. According to latest reports, the Kolhapur police had detained five persons and were grilling them.