Dabholkar laid to rest in hometown Satara

Known for his unparalleled work to rid the society from the evil clutches of superstition and black magic, Dr Narendra Dabholkar was laid to rest at the Kailas crematorium at Mahuli in Satara around 9 pm yesterday without performance of any religious rites. His daughter and son, Hamid and Mukta, lit the pyre.

Rest in peace: Hamid and Mukta Dabholkar light the pyre at Kailas crematorium in Mahuli in Satara yesterday evening. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

Dabholkar's wife Dr Shaila, a gynaecologists by profession, showed exemplary strength and emerged from their residence in Shahunagar in Satara city only after she assured activists and his followers that she would always be available to hear them out and asked them that it was now their responsibility to further the movement.

Thousands flooded the streets to pay their final respects to Dabholkar while his body was being taken for cremation. Earlier in the day, Dabholkar's body was kept at Sadhana Magazin's office known as Sadhana Vichar Manch at Shanivar Peth in Pune after the autopsy was conducted at the Sassoon General Hospital. It was later shifted to Satara where his family resides.

Varsha Deshpande of Lek Ladki Abhiyan, said, "Though we went our separate ways after I decided to take up women's issues, our association on various other issues continued."u00a0