Campaigner who urged state of Maharashtra to pass anti-black magic bill killed by motorbike assailants in Pune

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

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 on Tuesday after being shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle.

Police said four shots were fired at Dabholkar 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 yet been identified.

Dabholkar, who was 67, had infuriated some extremist Hindus with his campaign to outlaw the religious practices of some ascetics.

Many "godmen" claim to perform miracles so as 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 (£5,035) 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 best way to pay homage to a man who had been campaigning relentlessly for the last 18 years for a law against superstitious religious practices is to immediately pass the bill in the state legislative assembly."

Rightwing Hindu politicians in the state were strongly opposed to the bill and even the ruling Congress party seemed to lack the political will to push ahead with the legislation, Chauhan said.

Besides lobbying in the legislature, Dabholkar's group was involved in a school outreach programme across Maharashtra, which seeks to encourage rational thought among students and expose religious charlatans.

Dabholkar was qualified as a doctor but gave up his profession to devote himself to the rationalist cause. He edited a weekly magazine and was closely associated with the founder of the Indian Rationalist Association, Sanal Edamaruku, who had to flee to Europe following death threats and blasphemy cases against him.

The state government has announced a reward of 1m rupees for information leading to the arrest of Dabholkar's killers.