Indian campaigner against religious superstition shot dead

A prominent campaigner against religious superstition has been shot and killed while out for a morning walk in the western Indian city of Pune.

Narendra Dabholkar was at the forefront of a long-running campaign to ban superstitious religious practices by getting the state of Maharashtra to pass an anti black-magic Bill. He died after being shot twice by two gunmen riding a motorcycle yesterday morning.

Police said four shots were fired from close range as the rider slowed behind him on a bridge near the Omkareshwar temple. A passerby noted the vehicle’s number, but the killers have not been identified.

Dabholkar (67) had angered extremist Hindus with his campaign to outlaw the religious practices of some ascetics.

Many “godmen” claim to perform miracles to impress their devotees; they summon spirits, conjure up objects, provide talismans for curing ailments, walk on fire and pierce their tongues with steel skewers.

Dabholkar’s anti-superstition organisation, the Maharashtra Blind Faith Eradication Committee, had offered a reward of 500,000 rupees (€5,880) to anyone claiming to be a spiritual diviner who could successfully summon spirits.

"What has happened is shocking. It is really shameful," said Vijaya Chauhan, an associate of Dabholkar.

The state government has announced a reward of 1 million rupees for information leading to the arrest of the killers. – (Guardian service)