IT has been six months since anti-superstition activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20, 2013, but the police are still groping in the dark to arrest his killers
It has been six months since anti-superstition activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20, 2013, but the police are still groping in the dark to arrest his killers. Two unidentified, motorcycle-borne assailants shot Dabholkar dead on the Omkareshwar Bridge during his morning walk.
Unacceptable: Volunteers from the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti and Warkaris performing kirtan on Omkareshwar Bridge, where Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20, 2013. Pic/Mohan Patil
To protest against the alleged police inaction, volunteers of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), along with members from Warkari community, had organised a kirtan programme on the bridge yesterday to spread awareness about the anti-superstition bill that was passed after the rationalist’s demise.
Dabholkar’s son Hameed, who was part of the programme, said, “The two accused, whom the police arrested in this case, are being interrogated. The matter is sub judice, so I can’t comment on it. However, the Pune police haven’t been able to find the real killers and the masterminds who hatched the plot. This has pained the MANS volunteers and our family. Even the Maharashtra government has failed and the public will teach it a lesson in the upcoming elections.”
Prominent Warkaris such as Shamsundar Maharaj Sonar, president of Warkari Seva Pratishthan Trust, Akshay Maharaj Bhosale, president of Yuva Manch and Dr Suhas Fadtare, among others, attended yesterday’s kirtan.
Commenting on the initiative, Sonar said, “For the last 700 years, saints like Dnyaneshwar have been creating awareness against superstitions in the society. Dabholkar and his MANS did similar work. A few people are spreading rumours that the bill is a threat to their religion and their beliefs. In fact, the law is completely based on the teachings of our saints.”
Fadtare said similar programmes would be held in the future to spread awareness about the bill. Moreover, the MANS volunteers sat on a daylong hunger strike to protest against the delay exhibited by the police in solving the case
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