But once his story was reported by news channels, the officials realised that they had "exceeded their jurisdiction" - and said it was not for them to say whether God existed or not.

They asked him to return the document and promised to replace it with a modified one describing him as a caste-less atheist - which he refused.

According to census data, 33,000 Indians identify themselves as atheists - a mere handful in a country of 1.3 billion.