‘Dabholkar received threats,but we didn’t know opponents could take such a brutal step’

“He did not speak of the threats at home. He went about doing his work calmly,” Hamid said.

Narendra Dabholkar,who established MANS and was aggressively campaigning for an Anti-Black Magic Bill in Maharashtra,was murdered allegedly by unidentified men on August 20.

Patil said after the incident,MANS workers had been asked to speak up about threats,if they got any.

“We were aware of the opposition that we would face when we started working with the organisation. Our ideas are not liked by many. The espousers of these are in minority. Also,the current social and political situation of the country is such that it is fostering an ideology that is not conducive for the progressive ideas we try to spread. So,we have asked our workers to be vigilant,” said Patil,who added that it was a lapse on the part of MANS that they never kept a record of the threats they received.

On the delay in cracking the case,Hamid said no deadline could be given to the police to crack it. He reiterated that at the moment the investigation should remain with the state police.

“We have provided the police all the information sought by them. It is certainly painful that the murderers still haven’t been caught,” he said.