NCP says cops delaying probe into Dabholkar murder

 The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is also in charge of Maharashtra home ministry, on Thursday slammed the Pune police for their “indifferent” investigations into the assassination of social activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told mediapersons: “It is really sad that three weeks have passed but the Pune police are still groping in the dark. The progress so far, which is as good as zero, in the murder of Dr Dabholkar is pathetic. Police should have, by now, at least gleaned out some clues leading to the identity of the killers or their background.”

Prior to his murder, Dr Dabholkar was spearheading anti-superstition movement in Maharashtra and had been lobbying for over a decade for the passage of bill against blind faith, black magic and superstition.

On August 20, the 69-year-old activist was taking a morning stroll in Pune when two men on a motorbike fired from a close range, killing him on the spot. The murder of the doctor who had been waging a relentless battle against quacks and religious bigotry, resulted in the intelligentsia, artistes and middle-class taking to streets demanding the arrest of killers.

Sanatan Sanstha, a right-wing outfit that had been carrying out a campaign against Dr. Dabholkar quickly distanced itself it from the incident after realising that the needle of suspicion was pointed towards it. In a press meet the Sanstha said it had “nothing to do with the murder”.

The state Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance for enacting Maharashtra (Eradication of Black Magic, Evil and Aghori Practices) Bill 2005.