Bengaluru-based journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was killed after unidentified men shot at her from a close range outside her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, late on 5 September.
Lankesh, the editor of Kannada tabloid Gauri Lankesh Patrike, was convicted in a defamation case in 2016. She was out on bail after being found guilty of defamation in a case filed by BJP MP Prahlad Joshi.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned Lankesh’s death and said three police teams have been constituted to probe the killing and instructions have been issued to crack the case at the earliest.
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Protests Organised Across India
Journalists and others are expected to come together for protests in various cities on Wednesday, 6 September. Here are the timings and venues:
- Ahmedabad: 4:00 pm, Laldarwaja, Sadar Baug
- Bengaluru: 8:45 am, Naik Bhavan
- Dharwad: 10 am, MM Kalburgi's residence
- Delhi: 11 am, Press Club
- Hyderabad: 4 pm, Sunderayya Vignana Kendram
- Pune: 4 pm, opposite SP College, Sadashiv Peth, Tilak Road
- Mangalore: 4 pm, Town Hall, Gandhi Statue
- Mumbai: 6 pm, Amphitheatre, Carter Road
Visuals From Outside Gauri Lankesh’s Residence
Crowd gathers outside Gauri Lankesh’s residence.
(Photo: Arun Dev/The Quint)
Visuals from outside Gauri Lankesh’s residence
(Photo: ANI)
She Didn't Complain of Anything, Say Cops
Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel told ANI that it was still unclear how many assailants were there.
She didn’t complain of anything. If she anywhere expressed about threats, it will be thoroughly investigated.
He added that when police got there, they found Lankesh’s body in a pool of blood and four empty cartridges.
Out of four how many [bullets] entered her body, only post mortem report will tell. People in front of her [Lankesh’s] house heard gunshots, then saw her collapse in the verandah before entering her house.
Ground Report
The Quint’s reporter Arun Dev is reporting live from outside Lankesh’s Bengaluru residence, where she was shot.
CM Siddaramaiah, Others Condemn Lankesh’s Death
Who Was Gauri Lankesh?
Gauri Lankesh had been a vocal critic of right-wing parties in Karnataka and wrote columns for various local newspapers. The daughter of journalist P Lankesh was convicted of defamation in 2016, for writing an article claiming three BJP leaders had duped a jeweller of Rs 1 lakh.
Dharwad BJP MP Prahlad Joshi and BJP leader Umesh Dhushi had filed individual defamation cases against Lankesh in objection to the report which was published in her periodical ‘Gauri Lankesh Patrike’ on 23 January 2008.
She was convicted by a judicial magistrate in Hubbali, where she was given a six-month sentence, along with a fine. She however, received bail the same day, and was preparing to appeal at a sessions court.
The manner in which Lankesh was killed was eerily similar to the way in which rationalist MM Kalburgi was killed two years ago.
The former Vice Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, known for his outspoken criticism of the right wing, had also been shot when he opened the door of his residence to unknown persons.
Journalist Gauri Lankesh Shot Dead
Activist and journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on Tuesday evening.
MN Anucheth, Deputy Commissioner of Police, West confirmed the death to The Quint. “The attack took place between 8 pm and 8:30 pm. Our teams are on the spot. We can’t confirm the number of attackers at this moment. Investigation is on,” he said.
She was shot in the chest and she died on the spot.
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