Right-wing critic, journalist Gauri Lankesh shot dead in Bengaluru; work to continue says sister

Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening, reports said.

[caption id=“attachment_4012247” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Gauri Lankesh. Twitter[/caption] Though police said that the exact number of assailants are not clear yet, reporters on the ground said that three assailants allegedly fired nine bullets at Gauri outside her door. Gauri took three bullets and collapsed. Police officials said that her body has been sent for post mortem, and the area has been cordoned off. CID officials have been called to investigate the murder. “People in front of her house heard gunshots, they saw Gauri Lankesh collapse in the verandah before entering the house,” T Suneel Kumar, Police Commissioner, Bengaluru, said while speaking to press reporters outside Lankesh’s residence. Kumar said that any threats to her life was not known to him, however, “The police will thoroughly investigate if she had expressed about threats anywhere.”

Gauri, a well-known critic of Right-wing and Hindutva politics, was the editor of weekly tabloid magazine Gauri Lankesh Patrike. She was also a columnist for various newspapers where she openly aired her anti-establishment views. In the 6 September. 2017, edition of her magazine, Lankesh had written against former Karnataka chief minister BS Yedyurappa. [caption id=“attachment_4012669” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] The latest edition of Gauri Lankesh Patrike. Image courtesy: 101Reporters[/caption] Last year, Gauri was convicted in a defamation case filed by BJP MP Prahlad Joshi for a report against the party. Sources said that two people had come to her home, and since, Gauri was under attack from people with ideological differences, the police suspect that her murder could be related to the defamation case she was embroiled in against Joshi. Modus operandi same as killing of Pansare, Dabholkar and Kalburgi A police official said that the modus operandi in Gauri’s murder is very similar to what was witnessed in the murder of activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and MM Kalburgi. The official also added that like Pansare, Dabholkar, and Kalburgi, Gauri was also not very influential. “She was not someone who could bring down a government. So, why these kinds of killings are taking place also warrants investigation,” the official added. Though no eyewitnesses have come forward as yet, three teams have been appointed to gather footage from the two CCTV cameras in the area, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy told ANI.

You can’t kill Gauri’s task, says sister Kavita Lankesh Dwarkanath, friend of Gauri, termed the attack cowardly while her sister Kavita Lankesh said that her work will never stop. “I would like to tell all those who are behind this, you can kill us but you can’t kill our guts. You can kill Gauri, but not her task,” Kavita said. As news spread of Gauri’s murder, people thronged outside her house and started shouting slogans, reports said. In Gulbarga, a candlelight vigil was also lit organised.

Political leaders express shock Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah tweeted that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. “Shocked to learn about the murder of tall progressive force and senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. Such cold blooded acts deserve the highest condemnation,” Siddaramaiah said while stating that a thorough investigation has been ordered.

More from India

Why physiotherapists in India will no longer be allowed to use ‘Dr’ before their names Nepal’s Sushila Karki and her India connection

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury tweeted: “The cold-blooded murder of Gauri Lankesh is reprehensible. Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi — such murderous violence has an eerie pattern.” Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also expressed shock. “Shocked to hear that the brave Journalist-Activist Gauri Lankesh has been shot dead in Bengaluru. Culprits should be nabbed at the earliest,” he tweeted.