Gauri Lankesh murder: Karnataka SIT makes first arrest in case, 37-year-old man, linked to Hindu Yuva Sena, held

A 37-year-old man was taken into custody in connection with the murder of Kannada tabloid editor Gauri Lankesh in the city nearly six months ago, police said on Friday. KT Naveen Kumar, held  for illegal possession of bullets, is reportedly connected to radical Hindutva outfit called the Hindu Yuva Sena.

Representational image. PTI

"KT Naveen Kumar was taken into custody by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police for questioning," SIT Investigating Officer MN Anucheth told IANS in Bengaluru. Kumar hails from Birur town in Chikkamagaluru district, about 250 kilometre west from Bengaluru, Anucheth said.

Kumar is also, according to this report in The Indian Express, linked to members of the Sanatan Sanstha outfit and its affiliate the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. He has been found in possession of more than 15 rounds of the cartridges of the .32 calibre, which are the same as the 7.65 mm cartridges.

Lankesh, 55, the editor of "Lankesh Patrike", was shot dead outside her residence in the city's southwestern suburb by unidentified assailants on 5 September last year.

The state government had set up the SIT to probe the journalist-activist's killing.