Even though police sources claim there is no breakthrough, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday claimed that the Special Investigation Team(SIT) formed to probe journalist-turned-activist Gauri lankesh’s cold blooded murder has identified the killers.
He told the media that the killers of Gauri has been identified but refused to give any details as it would hamper the probe. He also said that the SIT is collecting more evidence to prove their guilt in the murder. He said, “We have definite clue about the killers but I can’t reveal more in this as it would hamper the further investigation.”
The 55-year-old Gauri lankesh, a journalist-turned-activist, who voiced against right wing ideologies was brutally murdered in front of her Rajarajeshwarin Nagar house on the outskirts of Bengaluru on September 5.
This is the second time Home Minister has said about definite clues in the murder which was denied by the sources in the police. Gauri was the editor of Gauri lankesh Patrike, a tabloid, which was very much critical of right wing and Hindutva politics.
According to sources in the SIT they have questioned over 500 people and scanned all possible records of about 60 mobile phones. They are also looking at right wing and Maoist angles in their probe. Gauri was shot dead as she entered her house in the IT hub of Bengaluru on September 5. A man wearing a helmet to conceal his face was recorded on security cameras as he shot her in the chest.
The Special Investigation Team working to crack the case would neither confirm nor deny the Home Minister’s claim. The ruling Congress Government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has come under severe criticism for failing to make any progress in the murders of rationalist MM Kalburgi, who was killed in 2015 and now Gauri lankesh.The Karnataka Government has constituted a SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh and a team of officers. The SIT has also announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh to anyone who gives clues about the murder of Gauri. The murder had widespread protests across the country.