3 min readPuneApr 6, 2026 10:23 PM ISTMujawar was involved in the Goa Liberation Movement in 1961.98-year-old freedom fighter Abbas Abdul Mujawar alias Inamdar, who passed away on March 31, was laid to rest with a ‘guard of honor’ by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate on April 1. Mujawar was a resident of Nehru Nagar. He was involved in the Goa Liberation Movement in 1961. He is survived by four sons and three daughters and their families. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Ganesh Ingale confirmed that Inamdar was buried after a police ‘guard of honour’.Mujawar was born on 28 January, 1928. Originally from the Kavthe Mahankal taluka in Sangli, Inamdar was from a farming family and had left his house as a child, said his son Mehboob Inamdar. Mujawar went to Satara and worked at the Ogale glass factory at Ogalewadi. He later shifted to Pune after one of his sons got a job in Bajaj Auto.Later, he associated himself with the communist movement and participated in the Goa Liberation Struggle. Mehboob said, “He and many people from around his village went to Goa to participate in the freedom struggle. He faced lathi charges from the police. There were thousands of people at the funeral.”Inamdar had been honoured by the Maharashtra government in 1990 by issuance of a letter of respect for ‘contributions made in the Indian freedom struggle’. He had also been receiving a government pension for freedom fighters, according to documents shared by his family.“We think that villagers are just farming, but that is not the case. They have more nationalism than us. Did any of them know that Goa would get independent and they would later get pension? No, they just knew they had to go there, get beaten, and shut up. But they still did it. So many people got martyred in the freedom struggle as well, did they know they would be successful?” he added.Remembering his father, Mehboob, who is a retired senior police inspector, said, “He used to tell stories of how they went there stealthily in the night and held protests and how there was panic after the lathi charge. He even had a mark from the beatings he got during that time.”“He had no other health issues but got a slight block in his heart. The doctors said that it would not be suitable to do a surgery at this point keeping in mind his age. Then about 1.5 months ago he had a fall and he fractured his back. He stopped eating and had to be admitted to the hospital. He was on oxygen support and a ventilator till he passed away.Story continues below this adWe all dreamed that our father would reach 100 years of age. He would have lived 10-15 years more if he had not had the fall,” Mehboob remarked.Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... 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