Bengaluru, Oct 14 (Agencies) : The Karnataka Police SIT on Saturday released sketches of suspects who allegedly shot dead journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh outside her Bengaluru residence last month.

The SIT also released sketch of one of the suspects who reportedly conducted a recce ahead of the murder. A video of the recce will be released shortly.

As per sources, the SIT is pinning its hopes on the public for providing more details about the suspects and the two-wheeler that was used in the crime.

Lankesh, a known critic of right-wing Hindu extremism, was shot to death by unknown assailants outside her home on September 5, who came with an accomplice on a motorcycle.

According to sources, the portraits were prepared using enhanced footage from CCTV cameras at Lankesh's residence that captured the recce as well as the shooting. The SIT also took note of eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen the suspects in the area prior to the crime.

However, the quality of the enhanced images is believed to not be very good.

The SIT has, despite the blurred CCTV footage, managed to ascertain the colour and model of the motorcycle and a deity imprint on the front fairing.

One of the key findings in the investigation into the journalist-cum-activist's murder has so far been the forensic report that the 7.65 mm country-made pistol was possibly used to kill Lankesh as well as noted Kannada scholar MM Kalburgi.

Kalburgi was shot dead on the morning of 30 August 2015 at his residence in Dharwad district of Karnataka by two unidentified men.

The report has led to the theory that both Kalburgi and Lankesh were killed by the same set of people.

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy over the past few weeks has been asserting that the SIT probing the murder of Lankesh has identified the killer and that they are gathering a strong case against them.