Dabholkar murder: Goa police nabs two suspects

Two men from Mumbai, suspected to be involved in the murder of anti-superstition activist Dr N Dabholkar, were apprehended by the police in Goa today evening. In a joint operation by the Goa police and the Pune police, the two suspects were nabbed in old Goa.

Two men from Mumbai, suspected to be involved in the murder of anti-superstition activist Dr N Dabholkar, were apprehended by the police in Goa on Friday evening. In a joint operation by the Goa police and the Pune police, the two suspects were nabbed in old Goa.

“Two persons were taken from here in connection with the murder,” said a senior Goa police official, confirming the development.

The two men who have been picked up by the police are Mangesh Harbhan Singh Chaudhary, 30, a Nallasopara resident and Mumtaz alias Munnabhai Rasool Ansari, 43, a Jogeshwari resident, according to the Panaji police record.

A team from the Pune crime branch led by Police Inspector Kutwal came to Goa to apprehend them, and were assisted by the local police, the record states.

The Pune police has previously picked up suspects in connection with the case in the past few months. Pune police officials refused to comment on Friday’s development.

Dabholkar, a rationalist and long-time campaigner against superstition was gunned down by unidentified motor-cycle riding gunmen while out on a morning walk near the Omkareshwar bridge in Pune on August 20. It was suspected that this was the work of right-wing groups, threatened by Dabholkar’s activities.

However, last week, the Pune police had told the Bombay high court that there was no evidence to suggest that right-wing groups were involved in the killing of Dabholkar, while the court was hearing a PIL that alleged that these groups were behind his death. The PIL had also sought a probe by the National Investigating Agency.