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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Gauri Lankesh murder: Probe teams at receiving end of criticism
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Gauri Lankesh murder: Probe teams at receiving end of criticism

Gauri Lankesh's murder in Bengaluru highlights the fact that investigating agencies in Karnataka and Maharashtra are nowhere near nailing the culprits for similar crimes

Gauri Lankesh, a journalist and publisher known for her strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. Photo: PTIPremium
Gauri Lankesh, a journalist and publisher known for her strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. Photo: PTI

Bengaluru: The assassination of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru has highlighted the fact that investigating agencies in two states are nowhere near nailing the culprits—let alone preventing such events—behind a spate of similar deadly attacks on thought leaders and intellectuals.

Lankesh, a journalist and publisher known for her strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in Bengaluru on Tuesday night.

Also read: Gauri Lankesh murder an assault on free speech

The brazen attack has been likened to the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS, or Maharashtra Eradication of Superstition Committee) on 20 August 2013 in Pune, while he was out on his morning walk.

The Dabholkar killing was followed by the assassination of two more rationalist thinkers—senior Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Govind Pansare on 16 February 2015 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra and M.M.Kalburgi on 30 August 2015 in Dharwad, Karnataka.

All four attacks have involved assailants riding up on motorcycles and firing from a close range with similar or same pistols.

Also read: Gauri Lankesh: the journalist who never stopped questioning

Despite long-running investigations, the assailants are yet to be brought to book—a matter of growing concern. On Wednesday, the Karnataka government appointed a special investigation team of the state police to investigate Lankesh’s murder, in spite of a demand by her family members for such a probe to be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

With no breakthrough yet, governments and investigating teams are at the receiving end of criticism.

S.T.Ramesh, director general of Police (retired), Karnataka said “sky high" expectations from activists, citizens, politicians and the media, adds to the pressure on the investigating officer. “Even the hierarchy passes the pressure down," he said.

Meanwhile, the killers and those behind them, still roam free, to the anger of family members of the victims and civil society.

The Dabholkar case is being investigated by the CBI along with a state appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT). Both Pansare and Lankesh’s murder are being probed by SITs formed in Maharashtra and Karnataka (separately) while the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Karnataka is probing Kalburgi’s death. In Pansare, Kalburgi and Lankesh’s case, demands have been made to shift the investigation to the CBI.

The CBI named Virendra Tawde, Sarang Akolkar, and Vinay Pawar of the Sanatan Sanstha, a right-wing Hindu group, as prime suspects in the Dabholkar case. While Tawde was arrested by the CBI in June 2016, Akolkar and Pawar are absconding.

The Bombay High court has indicated that there could be a link between the Dabholkar and Pansare killings. Newspaper reports also suggest that the same or similar weapons were used to kill all three before Gauri.

Ramesh says that scientific evidence like post-mortem and ballistics reports can help provide definite answers. “But how do we look for person possessing the weapon?"

A CCTV image outside Gauri’s home has captured images of the killer shooting the victim, police have said. The fact that it took nearly four years for the police to nab Madhukar Reddy, the man who brutally attacked a female bank employee in an ATM kiosk in the heart of Bengaluru in November 2013, doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence.

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Published: 07 Sep 2017, 03:52 PM IST
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