Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Sep 5: In a shocking incident, noted Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified miscreants on Tuesday September 5 at her Raja Rajeshwari Nagar residence in Bengaluru.
Eldest daughter of the well-known Kannada poet-turned-journalist P Lankesh, Gauri was the editor of Lankesh Patrike, a famous Kannada tabloid.
As per reports, she parked her car outside her house and was about to open the door, when three unidentified miscreants shot seven rounds of bullets from close range. While three bullets hit her, four hit the wall of her house. She died on the spot.
Reports claimed that two of the three assailants were bike-borne and followed her car to the house, while another attacker was lying in wait near her house. All three escaped from the spot.
"We learnt that the victim was shot dead from close range when she was standing at her house in Rajarajeswari Nagar (in the suburbs) around 8 pm," a senior police officer said.
"We will set up a special team to investigate the incident," said the official.
Bengaluru police commissioner T Suneel Kumar said that neighbours heard gun shots and came rushing out, and on seeing Gauri collapsed in front of her house, informed the police, who rushed to the spot. He informed that three special police teams have been formed under senior police officials to invesigate the case.
"She was alone at home. As per my knowledge, she did not complain about any threat. We have CCTV cameras and after examining them we can say what exactly happened. The neighbours said they heard a bike but they are not sure," he said. He also said four cartridges were found at the crime spot. "We will know how many bullets entered her body only after post-mortem," he added.
As news spread, a large number of people gathered outside her residence and raised slogans condemning the incident.
The body was shifted to Victoria hospital and the post-mortem will be held on Wednesday September 6, said sources.
A progressive thinker, activist, columnist and writer, the journalist was known for her outspokenness, and was said to be under threat from those who had ideological differences with her. However, it is not yet known whether she was facing any specific threat to life in the last few days.
Gauri Lankesh was critical of right-wing outfits and was last year convicted in a defamation case filed by BJP MP Prahlad Joshi who had objected to a report against BJP leaders.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah speaking to reporters termed the incident as shocking. "I have been informed that journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her residence at around 8 pm. This is very shocking and I strongly condemn it. This is a heinous act and nobody with even a bit of humanity would do it. She was a journalist, thinker and writer, daughter of P Lankesh of the famous Lankesh Patrike, which Gauri continued after him.
"She was active in all kinds of social movements and fought against communal and anti-social forces. She stood up against injustice and fought to establish a just society. She believed in secular principles. After our government came to power, she actively engaged herself in the task of bringing Naxals to the mainstream. I have known her for long and her death has saddened me," he said.
"We have formed three police teams and the investigation will begin without any delay. Once the report is ready, we will take necessary action," the CM said.
He also said that there were no intelligence reports about any threat to Gauri Lankesh's life.
Newly appointed home minister Ramalinga Reddy, who visited the spot and held discussions with the officials, said that police have already obtained footages from two CCTV cameras and assured that the culprits would be arrested soon. One of the CCTV cameras was installed at Gauri Lankesh's house, where she was living alone.
"Within minutes, seven rounds were fired at close range. She was attacked outside her residence. As she had not sought police protection, no security was provided to her," Reddy said.
BJP leader Eshwarappa speaking to a news channel held the state government responsible for the incident, saying that it was the government's responsibility to provide security to its citizens. He further said chief minister Siddaramaiah should think seriously about this, adding that no one has the right to kill anyone.
The state unit of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) condemned the murder and expressed condolence. "May God give strength to Gauri Lankesh's family and friends to bear with this loss. We urge the state government to arrest the culprits soon and take stingent action against them," the RSS stated in a press note.
President of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations Prof Narendra Nayak condemned the incident and said that those who refuse to be silenced by anti-social elements are being killed. He recalled the killings of other rationalists like Dabholkar and Kalburgi and expressed concerns over the safety of thinkers and rationalists in the nation. He also recalled his association with Gauri Lankesh and said she was a great friend who had always supported him.
"I strongly condemn the dastardly act of murder of Gauri Lankesh. I knew her since three decades right from the days she was a reporter for Sunday, a magazine published from Kolkata. More than a journalist she was a social activist raising her voice for the oppressed and exploited of the society," said Narendra Nayak.
"The elimination of voices of reason by silencing them through murder is the hallmark of those cowardly dunces who have no arguments to counter those put forward by us. As a fellow member on the hit list of these organisations I feel sad that I have lost a good friend and a supporter. She was one of those who was not afraid to speak her mind on any issue which she felt was important.
"It is a shame to all the citizens of our country that we have tolerated such a sorry state of affairs here that even voices cannot be raised against the forces of irrationalism and communalism. Let those forces clearly understand that such acts by them are not going to silence us. They are only going to become stronger," he said.
Organizations like Komu Souharda Vedike also condemned the incident in strong words.