But we have made a start, thanks to the sacrifice of Narendra Dabholkar," activist and eminent scholar Vidya Bal told a convention of MANS workers in 2015.Inputs from agencies. Still, there was wide speculation that Dr Dabholkar - who had received threats from right-wing groups - had become the target of religious fundamentalists. Narendra Dabholkar hailed from Satara, Maharashtra. NEW DELHI: Three years ago, atheist and rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar was shot in the back of the head from close-range and in broad daylight by motorcycle-borne assailants when he was on his morning walk. When he asked that women be allowed to enter the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar, he faced "a backlash from right-wing political groups and finally ended in court", a Hindu report said in 2013.

Source: Times of India June 11, 2016 10:07 UTC