<p>The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-police-suspects-role-of-illegal-bangladeshis-in-seemapuri-violence-say-sources-272006">Special Investigation Team</a> (SIT) probing the murder case of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, arrested one of the accused, Rushikesh Devdikar.<br />
<br />
According to SIT, Devdikar was a part of the conspiracy to kill <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/irish-band-u2-pays-tribute-to-women-icons-smriti-irani-gauri-lankesh-and-arundhati-roy-during-their-mumbai-concert-268510">Gauri Lankesh</a>. He is the eighteenth accused in the case.<br />
<br />
The probe team is searching his house for clues and he will be produced before the Judicial Magistrate on Friday.<br />
<br />
Originally Devdikar is from Aurangabad, Maharashtra but the day he was arrested, he was hiding in a house in Katras, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jharkhand-polls-bjp-announces-list-of-52-candidates-261212">Dhanbad</a> district of Jharkhand.<br />
<br />
The 44-year old absconding accused was primarily involved in the murder of the left-leaning journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot outside her house by two assailants in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017.</p>

<p>Lankesh was allegedly killed by a member of a gang on being identified as "durjan" (evil person) in a book by the Sanatan Sanstha.</p>

<p>From noted&nbsp;playwright Girish Karnad and rationalist, K S Bhagawan to Gauri Lankesh and others, the gang had also prepared a list of the people whom they wanted to kill.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sanatan Sanstha&nbsp;was also accused of&nbsp;killing of the&nbsp;rationalist MM Kalburgi.</p>

<aside>
<p>A strong defence team has been trying to dismantle the allegations made by the SIT ever since a&nbsp;9,325-page&nbsp;charge sheet was filed against those who were involved in the murder.</p>

<p>The charge sheet names 18 people, of which two are still at large, have been accused of indoctrination, conspiracy, undergoing weapons procurement and training, mobilisation of funds and carrying out the murder among other charges.</p>
</aside>

<p><i>(With Inputs from agencies)</i></p>


The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder case of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, arrested one of the accused, Rushikesh Devdikar. According to SIT, Devdikar was a part of the conspiracy to kill Gauri Lankesh.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder case of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, arrested one of the accused, Rushikesh Devdikar. According to SIT, Devdikar was a part of the conspiracy to kill Gauri Lankesh. He is the eighteenth accused in the case. The probe team is searching his house for clues and he will be produced before the Judicial Magistrate on Friday. Originally Devdikar is from Aurangabad, Maharashtra but the day he was arrested, he was hiding in a house in Katras, Dhanbad district of Jharkhand. The 44-year old absconding accused was primarily involved in the murder of the left-leaning journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot outside her house by two assailants in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017. Lankesh was allegedly killed by a member of a gang on being identified as "durjan" (evil person) in a book by the Sanatan Sanstha. From noted playwright Girish Karnad and rationalist, K S Bhagawan to Gauri Lankesh and others, the gang had also prepared a list of the people whom they wanted to kill. Sanatan Sanstha was also accused of killing of the rationalist MM Kalburgi. A strong defence team has been trying to dismantle the allegations made by the SIT ever since a 9,325-page charge sheet was filed against those who were involved in the murder. The charge sheet names 18 people, of which two are still at large, have been accused of indoctrination, conspiracy, undergoing weapons procurement and training, mobilisation of funds and carrying out the murder among other charges. (With Inputs from agencies)

Gauri Lankesh Murder Case: SIT arrests absconding accused Rushikesh Devdikar

<p>In their maiden concert in India, Irish band U2 gave tributes to female icons of the country. The concert took place in Mumbai on Sunday and the band put the spotlight on Union minister Smriti Irani, slain journalist Gauri Lankesh, author Arundhati Roy and others during the concert.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The Irish rockers closed 'The Joshua Tree Tour 2019' on Sunday with their final show of the tour after performing in Seoul, Auckland, Brisbane and Melbourne in honour of their 1987 album.<br />
<br />
Frontman Bono, guitarist The Edge, drummer Larry Mullen and bassist Adam Clayton opened the concert with their classic 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and ended with a visual montage of women icons across the world, including India.</p>

<p>Irani, Roy featured alongside Gauri Lankesh, lawyer Karuna Nandy, astronaut Kalpana Chawla and journalist Rana Ayyub. The band also paid tribute to activist Greta Thunberg.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
To highlight the security concern women face the world over, the band also included pictures from the recent protest march in Hyderabad after a young vet was raped and killed.<br />
<br />
"When women feel safe at homes or walking on the street, that's a beautiful day. When sisters around the world are in school like their brothers, that's a beautiful day.<br />
<br />
"When women of the world unite to rewrite history as their story, that's a beautiful day. To rewrite history as her story- that's a beautiful day," Bono said as the crowd erupted in applause.<br />
<br />
The band also performed the track 'Ahimsa' along with AR Rahman- the song had earlier been released online ahead of their concert.&nbsp;<br />
Bollywood <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/inside-pics-deepika-ranveer-hrithik-sussanne-other-b-town-celebs-attend-u2-concert-in-mumbai-268446">A-listers like Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh</a>, Hrithik Roshan and Malaika Arora attended the concert that took place in DY Patil Sports Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


In their maiden concert in India, Irish band U2 gave tributes to female icons of the country. The concert took place in Mumbai on Sunday and the band put the spotlight on Union minister Smriti Irani, slain journalist Gauri Lankesh, author Arundhati Roy and others during the concert.

In their maiden concert in India, Irish band U2 gave tributes to female icons of the country. The concert took place in Mumbai on Sunday and the band put the spotlight on Union minister Smriti Irani, slain journalist Gauri Lankesh, author Arundhati Roy and others during the concert. The Irish rockers closed 'The Joshua Tree Tour 2019' on Sunday with their final show of the tour after performing in Seoul, Auckland, Brisbane and Melbourne in honour of their 1987 album. Frontman Bono, guitarist The Edge, drummer Larry Mullen and bassist Adam Clayton opened the concert with their classic 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and ended with a visual montage of women icons across the world, including India. Irani, Roy featured alongside Gauri Lankesh, lawyer Karuna Nandy, astronaut Kalpana Chawla and journalist Rana Ayyub. The band also paid tribute to activist Greta Thunberg. To highlight the security concern women face the world over, the band also included pictures from the recent protest march in Hyderabad after a young vet was raped and killed. "When women feel safe at homes or walking on the street, that's a beautiful day. When sisters around the world are in school like their brothers, that's a beautiful day. "When women of the world unite to rewrite history as their story, that's a beautiful day. To rewrite history as her story- that's a beautiful day," Bono said as the crowd erupted in applause. The band also performed the track 'Ahimsa' along with AR Rahman- the song had earlier been released online ahead of their concert. Bollywood A-listers like Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan and Malaika Arora attended the concert that took place in DY Patil Sports Stadium, Mumbai.

Irish band U2 pays tribute to women icons Smriti Irani, Gauri Lankesh and Arundhati Roy during their Mumbai concert

<p>Rahul Gandhi on Thursday pleaded not guilty in connection with a defamation case filed against him in 2017 for allegedly linking journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder with "BJP-RSS ideology".</p>

<p>Gandhi has been released on Rs 15,000 surety amount. Ex-MP Eknath Gaikwad has given surety for him.</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi arrived in Mumbai on Thursday morning, accompanied by Mallikarjun Kharge and Milind Deora.</p>

<p>Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury was also present at the local Mumbai court.</p>

<p>Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Swayam Sevak Dhrutiman Joshi had filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for defaming the RSS following the death of Gauri Lankesh.</p>

<p>In the complainant, Dhrutiman Joshi stated that Rahul Gandhi, within 24-hours of the murder of the journalist, criticised the RSS and alleged that "anybody who speaks against the ideology of the BJP, against the ideology of the RSS is pressured, beaten, attacked and even killed."</p>

<p>This is the second defamation case against Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday tweeted his resignation saying, ''It is an honour for me to serve the Congress Party.''</p>


Rahul Gandhi on Thursday pleaded not guilty in connection with a defamation case filed against him in 2017 for allegedly linking journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder with "BJP-RSS ideology".

Rahul Gandhi on Thursday pleaded not guilty in connection with a defamation case filed against him in 2017 for allegedly linking journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder with "BJP-RSS ideology". Gandhi has been released on Rs 15,000 surety amount. Ex-MP Eknath Gaikwad has given surety for him. Rahul Gandhi arrived in Mumbai on Thursday morning, accompanied by Mallikarjun Kharge and Milind Deora. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury was also present at the local Mumbai court. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Swayam Sevak Dhrutiman Joshi had filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for defaming the RSS following the death of Gauri Lankesh. In the complainant, Dhrutiman Joshi stated that Rahul Gandhi, within 24-hours of the murder of the journalist, criticised the RSS and alleged that "anybody who speaks against the ideology of the BJP, against the ideology of the RSS is pressured, beaten, attacked and even killed." This is the second defamation case against Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday tweeted his resignation saying, ''It is an honour for me to serve the Congress Party.''

RSS defamation case: Rahul Gandhi pleads not guilty

<p>Pune sessions court on Friday granted bail to three accused in Narendra Dabholkar murder case. According to reports, Amol Kale, Rajesh Bangera and Amit Degvekar were granted bail earlier today as the CBI did not file charge-sheet against them in 90 days period, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Bangera and Degvekar are presently in judicial custody with Karnataka SIT in Gauri Lankesh murder case, Amol Kale is with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) team custody which is investigating Govind Pansare murder case.</p>

<p>Kale, was sent to magistrate custody <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/narendra-dabholkar-murder-case-accused-sharad-kalaskar-sent-to-judicial-custody-till-september-29-166115">for 14 days, on September 14</a>.</p>

<p>Previously, Sharad Kalaskar, an accused in Narendra Dabholkar murder case, was sent to judicial custody till September 29.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Narendra Dabholkar murder case: Two of them are presently in judicial custody with Karnataka SIT in Gauri Lankesh murder case and Amol Kale is presently with SIT team custody which is investigating Govind Pansare murder case. <a href="https://t.co/9Ird8ito5g">https://t.co/9Ird8ito5g</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1073509612324904961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Amol Kale is the prime accused in journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case. The CBI suspects that Kale is also the mastermind of Dabholkar's killing.</p>

<p>Two other accused, Amit Degwekar and Rajesh Bangera, were also sent to magisterial custody earlier, news agency ANI reported. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Narendra Dabholkar, a Maharashtra-based rationalist, was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants while returning home from a morning walk on August 20, 2013. &nbsp;</p>


Pune sessions court on Friday granted bail to three accused in Narendra Dabholkar murder case. According to reports, Amol Kale, Rajesh Bangera and Amit Degvekar were granted bail earlier today as the CBI did not file charge-sheet against them in 90 days period, news agency ANI reported.

Pune sessions court on Friday granted bail to three accused in Narendra Dabholkar murder case. According to reports, Amol Kale, Rajesh Bangera and Amit Degvekar were granted bail earlier today as the CBI did not file charge-sheet against them in 90 days period, news agency ANI reported. While Bangera and Degvekar are presently in judicial custody with Karnataka SIT in Gauri Lankesh murder case, Amol Kale is with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) team custody which is investigating Govind Pansare murder case. Kale, was sent to magistrate custody for 14 days, on September 14. Previously, Sharad Kalaskar, an accused in Narendra Dabholkar murder case, was sent to judicial custody till September 29. Narendra Dabholkar murder case: Two of them are presently in judicial custody with Karnataka SIT in Gauri Lankesh murder case and Amol Kale is presently with SIT team custody which is investigating Govind Pansare murder case. https://t.co/9Ird8ito5g — ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2018 × Amol Kale is the prime accused in journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case. The CBI suspects that Kale is also the mastermind of Dabholkar's killing. Two other accused, Amit Degwekar and Rajesh Bangera, were also sent to magisterial custody earlier, news agency ANI reported. Narendra Dabholkar, a Maharashtra-based rationalist, was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants while returning home from a morning walk on August 20, 2013.

Narendra Dabholkar murder case: Pune court grants bail to three accused 

<p>The Karnataka Police Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that there appears to be a connection between journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases.</p>

<p>The state police also told the apex court that it will file a charge sheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months.</p>

<p>A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha is hearing the matter related to the killing of the noted scholar and rationalist at Dharwad in 2015.</p>

<p>The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court.&nbsp;</p>


The Karnataka Police Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that there appears to be a connection between journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases.

The Karnataka Police Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that there appears to be a connection between journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a charge sheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha is hearing the matter related to the killing of the noted scholar and rationalist at Dharwad in 2015. The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court.

There appears some connection between Gauri Lankesh, M M Kalburgi murder cases: Supreme Court

<p>The special investigation team (SIT) probing the killing of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-and-that-piece-by-her-ex-husband-22818">journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh</a> has named an organised criminal syndicate inspired by the Sanatan Sanstha in its additional chargesheet filed before a court here.</p>

<p>In the 9,235-page chargesheet submitted before the Principal Civil and Sessions Court here Friday evening, it was also stated that the killing of Lankesh was plotted for almost five years.</p>

<p>A network, inspired by the literature of the Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha, had targeted Lankesh, it said.</p>

<p>"Sanatan Sanstha members were involved. We have named them. We have also mentioned one of its allied organisations," a top officer in the SIT told PTI here Saturday.</p>

<p>However, the SIT in a press release stated, "The investigation so far has revealed that all the 18 accused were active members of an organised crime syndicate. This syndicate was formed in 2010-11 under the leadership of Dr Virendra Tawade alias Bade Bhai Sahab. One former editor of the Sanatan Prabhat provided the financial support to this syndicate.</p>

<p>"The members of this organisation targeted persons who they identified to be inimical to their ideology and belief. The members strictly followed the guidelines and principles mentioned in the 'Kshatra Dharma Sadhana', a book published by the Sanatan Sanstha."</p>

<p>Reacting to the chargesheet, the Sanatan Sanstha dismissed its alleged links with the killing of Lankesh, saying none of the accused was its members.</p>

<p>"None of the accused is a member of the Sanatan Sanstha. So far, the SIT has not said this officially. If it has mentioned our name in the supplementary chargesheet, we will fight it legally. So far, we have not got the copy (of the chargesheet)," Chetan Rajhans, the outfit's head of communications, told PTI over phone.</p>

<p>"...Other than this, if any organisation indulges in maligning the name of the organisation without proof, it will face legal consequences," he said.</p>

<p>Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who holds the Home portfolio, said the government would soon take a call on banning organisations involved in the killing of Lankesh.</p>

<p>"No discussion has taken place regarding the organisations involved in the case, but we will take a decision on that shortly," he told reporters.</p>

<p>The Congress leader also refused to divulge information about the progress made in the investigation.</p>

<p>"The killer and the killed had no personal or any other enmity. Why was she killed? Because she believed in a certain ideology and wrote and spoke about that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.</p>

<p>The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further.<br />
The first chargesheet in the sensational case was filed in May, eight months after 55-year-old Lankesh, known for her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year.</p>

<p>As the killing triggered a national outrage and widespread condemnation, the then Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government had constituted the SIT to probe it.<br />
So far, 18 people have been named as accused in the case, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare and alleged masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources said.</p>

<p>The gang also allegedly had links with the killings of three other rationalists -- M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare -- they added.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The special investigation team (SIT) probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh has named an organised criminal syndicate inspired by the Sanatan Sanstha in its additional chargesheet filed before a court here.

The special investigation team (SIT) probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh has named an organised criminal syndicate inspired by the Sanatan Sanstha in its additional chargesheet filed before a court here. In the 9,235-page chargesheet submitted before the Principal Civil and Sessions Court here Friday evening, it was also stated that the killing of Lankesh was plotted for almost five years. A network, inspired by the literature of the Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha, had targeted Lankesh, it said. "Sanatan Sanstha members were involved. We have named them. We have also mentioned one of its allied organisations," a top officer in the SIT told PTI here Saturday. However, the SIT in a press release stated, "The investigation so far has revealed that all the 18 accused were active members of an organised crime syndicate. This syndicate was formed in 2010-11 under the leadership of Dr Virendra Tawade alias Bade Bhai Sahab. One former editor of the Sanatan Prabhat provided the financial support to this syndicate. "The members of this organisation targeted persons who they identified to be inimical to their ideology and belief. The members strictly followed the guidelines and principles mentioned in the 'Kshatra Dharma Sadhana', a book published by the Sanatan Sanstha." Reacting to the chargesheet, the Sanatan Sanstha dismissed its alleged links with the killing of Lankesh, saying none of the accused was its members. "None of the accused is a member of the Sanatan Sanstha. So far, the SIT has not said this officially. If it has mentioned our name in the supplementary chargesheet, we will fight it legally. So far, we have not got the copy (of the chargesheet)," Chetan Rajhans, the outfit's head of communications, told PTI over phone. "...Other than this, if any organisation indulges in maligning the name of the organisation without proof, it will face legal consequences," he said. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who holds the Home portfolio, said the government would soon take a call on banning organisations involved in the killing of Lankesh. "No discussion has taken place regarding the organisations involved in the case, but we will take a decision on that shortly," he told reporters. The Congress leader also refused to divulge information about the progress made in the investigation. "The killer and the killed had no personal or any other enmity. Why was she killed? Because she believed in a certain ideology and wrote and spoke about that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI. The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further. The first chargesheet in the sensational case was filed in May, eight months after 55-year-old Lankesh, known for her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year. As the killing triggered a national outrage and widespread condemnation, the then Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government had constituted the SIT to probe it. So far, 18 people have been named as accused in the case, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare and alleged masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources said. The gang also allegedly had links with the killings of three other rationalists -- M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare -- they added.

Gauri Lankesh killing was plotted for almost 5 years: SIT charge sheet

<p>The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case has submitted the additional charge sheet against 18 accused persons in Special Court for Karnataka Control of Crimes Act (KCOCA).</p>

<p>The deadline for filing the charge sheet was November 27.</p>

<p>The charge sheet is of 9235 pages.</p>

<p>The SIT also sought permission from the Court for further probe.</p>

<p>So far 17 people have been arrested in connection with the case including Amit Degwekar from Goa and Amol Kale from Maharashtra.</p>

<p>The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in August recovered the pistol used for killing her while investigating the Narendra Dabholkar murder case, thus establishing a connection between the two murders.</p>

<p>The senior journalist was murdered at her house in Bengaluru on September 5 last year in May.</p>


The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case has submitted the additional charge sheet against 18 accused persons in Special Court for Karnataka Control of Crimes Act (KCOCA).

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case has submitted the additional charge sheet against 18 accused persons in Special Court for Karnataka Control of Crimes Act (KCOCA). The deadline for filing the charge sheet was November 27. The charge sheet is of 9235 pages. The SIT also sought permission from the Court for further probe. So far 17 people have been arrested in connection with the case including Amit Degwekar from Goa and Amol Kale from Maharashtra. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in August recovered the pistol used for killing her while investigating the Narendra Dabholkar murder case, thus establishing a connection between the two murders. The senior journalist was murdered at her house in Bengaluru on September 5 last year in May.

SIT files additional charge sheet in Gauri Lankesh murder case

<p>Karnataka Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested a man in connection to the Gauri Lankesh murder case. Parshuram Wagmare, SIT's 6th arrest in the murder case, was caught in Vijayapura on Monday&nbsp;morning and was produced before the 3rd ACMM Court today.</p>

<p>Wagmare, who is suspected to be the shooter, has been taken into a 14-day police custody for further interrogation. The SIT has described the arrest as the biggest breakthrough in the murder case.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On May 30, the Special Investigation Team, which is probing the murder case of social activist Gauri Lankesh, filed the first charge sheet of preliminary investigation before the third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 650-pages long charge sheet was filed nine months after the crime took place and contained statements of over 130 people including Naveen Kumar alias Hottey Manja -- mentioned as the prime accused -- &nbsp;and his friends.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In connection with the Gauri Lankesh murder case, the Special Investigation Team has arrested one person namely Parshuram Wagmare from Sindhagi. He was produced before the 3rd ACMM Court & has been taken into 14 days police custody for further interrogation. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karnataka?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karnataka</a> <a href="https://t.co/184RqxbH6F">pic.twitter.com/184RqxbH6F</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1006508386085527554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to the filed charge sheet, Naveen Kumar is suspected to have met sharpshooters from North India. The meeting between the shooters and him took place in a forest area of Chamarajnagara district of Karnataka.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The team also recovered a small notebook from Praveen containing notes related to the planning of the murder.</p>

<p>55-year-old anti-establishment voice, Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead by unknown assailants at her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017.</p>

<p>On March 9, six months after the murder, the Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner Naveen Kumar. He was taken into police custody on March 2 for an interrogation in connection with the case.</p>


55-year-old anti-establishment voice, Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead by unknown assailants at her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017

Karnataka Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested a man in connection to the Gauri Lankesh murder case. Parshuram Wagmare, SIT's 6th arrest in the murder case, was caught in Vijayapura on Monday morning and was produced before the 3rd ACMM Court today. Wagmare, who is suspected to be the shooter, has been taken into a 14-day police custody for further interrogation. The SIT has described the arrest as the biggest breakthrough in the murder case. On May 30, the Special Investigation Team, which is probing the murder case of social activist Gauri Lankesh, filed the first charge sheet of preliminary investigation before the third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM). The 650-pages long charge sheet was filed nine months after the crime took place and contained statements of over 130 people including Naveen Kumar alias Hottey Manja -- mentioned as the prime accused -- and his friends. In connection with the Gauri Lankesh murder case, the Special Investigation Team has arrested one person namely Parshuram Wagmare from Sindhagi. He was produced before the 3rd ACMM Court & has been taken into 14 days police custody for further interrogation. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/184RqxbH6F — ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2018 × According to the filed charge sheet, Naveen Kumar is suspected to have met sharpshooters from North India. The meeting between the shooters and him took place in a forest area of Chamarajnagara district of Karnataka. The team also recovered a small notebook from Praveen containing notes related to the planning of the murder. 55-year-old anti-establishment voice, Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead by unknown assailants at her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017. On March 9, six months after the murder, the Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner Naveen Kumar. He was taken into police custody on March 2 for an interrogation in connection with the case.

Gauri Lankesh murder case: Special Investigation Team makes 6th arrest

<p>The same gun was used to kill journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi in Karnataka, the state forensic science laboratory has confirmed in a report, sources in the SIT said. The forensic report submitted to the Special Investigation Team probing the killing of Lankesh is part of the first charge sheet filed recently by the SIT naming KT Naveen Kumar as an accused.</p>

<p>This is the first official confirmation of the link between the two killings which happened after a gap of two years of each other. Kalburgi (77) was shot dead in his house on August 30, 2015, in Dharwad and 55-year old Lankesh on September 5, 2017&nbspin Bengaluru. The SIT members had earlier talked about the same-gun theory but for the first time it has come out in the open to show that Kalburgi's murder was the handiwork of the same gang.</p>

<p>The bullets in both cases "have been fired through a single country made pistol chambered for 7.65 mm caliber pistol cartridges," a source said quoting the report.</p>

<p>The report also pointed out that the scratches formed by the firing pin on the bullets tallied among themselves. Lankesh, who was known for her strong anti-Hindutva stand, was shot dead in front of her house, triggering a nationwide outrage. The SIT formed to investigate her murder has formally arrested Naveen Kumar of Maddur as one of the accused.</p>

<p>Four more persons have been arrested for allegedly plotting to kill another rationalist and writer K S Bhagawan, also a strong critic of Hindutva. The SIT is also probing whether they have any links with the Gauri murder case.&nbsp</p>


This is the first official confirmation of the link between the two killings which happened after a gap of two years of each other. Kalburgi (77) was shot dead in his house on August 30, 2015, in Dharwad and 55-year old Lankesh on September 5, 2017 in Bengaluru

The same gun was used to kill journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi in Karnataka, the state forensic science laboratory has confirmed in a report, sources in the SIT said. The forensic report submitted to the Special Investigation Team probing the killing of Lankesh is part of the first charge sheet filed recently by the SIT naming KT Naveen Kumar as an accused. This is the first official confirmation of the link between the two killings which happened after a gap of two years of each other. Kalburgi (77) was shot dead in his house on August 30, 2015, in Dharwad and 55-year old Lankesh on September 5, 2017&nbspin Bengaluru. The SIT members had earlier talked about the same-gun theory but for the first time it has come out in the open to show that Kalburgi's murder was the handiwork of the same gang. The bullets in both cases "have been fired through a single country made pistol chambered for 7.65 mm caliber pistol cartridges," a source said quoting the report. The report also pointed out that the scratches formed by the firing pin on the bullets tallied among themselves. Lankesh, who was known for her strong anti-Hindutva stand, was shot dead in front of her house, triggering a nationwide outrage. The SIT formed to investigate her murder has formally arrested Naveen Kumar of Maddur as one of the accused. Four more persons have been arrested for allegedly plotting to kill another rationalist and writer K S Bhagawan, also a strong critic of Hindutva. The SIT is also probing whether they have any links with the Gauri murder case.

Same gun used to kill Gauri and Kalburgi: Forensic report

<p>According to reports, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police has made a breakthrough in the Gauri Lankesh murder case by making another arrest.</p>

<p>Praveen alias Suchith Kumar, a native of Mangalore, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder. His name was revealed while KT Naveen Kumar, the first arrest, was being investigated.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Praveen alias Suchith Kumar was previously arrested for an alleged involvement in an Arms Act case&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The investigation team will file charge sheet in the case tomorrow.</p>

<p>On March 9, six months after the murder of Gauri Lankesh, the Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner Naveen Kumar. He was taken into police custody on March 2 for an interrogation in connection with the case.</p>

<p>55-year-old anti-establishment voice, Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead by unknown assailants at her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017.</p>


Praveen alias Suchith Kumar, a native of Mangalore, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder

According to reports, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police has made a breakthrough in the Gauri Lankesh murder case by making another arrest. Praveen alias Suchith Kumar, a native of Mangalore, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder. His name was revealed while KT Naveen Kumar, the first arrest, was being investigated. Praveen alias Suchith Kumar was previously arrested for an alleged involvement in an Arms Act case The investigation team will file charge sheet in the case tomorrow. On March 9, six months after the murder of Gauri Lankesh, the Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner Naveen Kumar. He was taken into police custody on March 2 for an interrogation in connection with the case. 55-year-old anti-establishment voice, Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead by unknown assailants at her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017.

Gauri Lankesh murder case: Special Investigation Team makes second arrest 

<p>The main accused arrested in connection with the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh will be taken to Goa and Belgaum for investigation.</p>

<p>The move came after a Bengaluru court on Friday gave the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Karnataka police five-day additional custody of the accused.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Six months after the murder of Lankesh, Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner KT Naveen Kumar, who was taken into police custody on March 2 for interrogation in connection with the case.</p>

<p>Naveen, who is said to be linked with a right-wing radical group, had allegedly gone to these places as a part of the conspiracy to carry out the journalist-activist&#39;s&nbsp;murder.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Kumar&#39;s family has maintained that he was innocent and in no way connected to the crime.</p>

<p>The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, had announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime.</p>

<p>The killing of the journalist had drawn widespread condemnation and the Siddaramaiah government had come under flak for not making any headway in nabbing the culprits.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The accused was arrested six months after the murder of Lankesh

The main accused arrested in connection with the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh will be taken to Goa and Belgaum for investigation. The move came after a Bengaluru court on Friday gave the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Karnataka police five-day additional custody of the accused. Six months after the murder of Lankesh, Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner KT Naveen Kumar, who was taken into police custody on March 2 for interrogation in connection with the case. Naveen, who is said to be linked with a right-wing radical group, had allegedly gone to these places as a part of the conspiracy to carry out the journalist-activist's murder. Meanwhile, Kumar's family has maintained that he was innocent and in no way connected to the crime. The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, had announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime. The killing of the journalist had drawn widespread condemnation and the Siddaramaiah government had come under flak for not making any headway in nabbing the culprits.

Gauri Lankesh murder case: Accused to be taken to Goa, Belgaum for probe

<p>Six months after the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-was-shot-in-chest-indrajit-lankesh-19935" target="_blank">murder</a> of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Karnataka police today arrested a man said to be linked with a right-wing radical group for his suspected involvement in the sensational killing.</p>

<p>The Special Investigation Team, probing the murder, said it arrested alleged gunrunner K T Naveen Kumar, who was taken into police custody on March 2 for interrogation in connection with the case.</p>

<p>This is the first arrest in the case after the 55-year old Lankesh, known as an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home here on September 5 last year.</p>

<p>&quot;He (Naveen Kumar) has been arrested. He is an accused (in the case),&quot; Deputy Commissioner of Police M N Anucheth, the investigating officer in the case, told PTI here.</p>

<p>Police said Kumar, in his 30s, was suspected to be linked with a fringe right-wing radical group.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-and-that-piece-by-her-ex-husband-22818" target="_blank">Gauri </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-and-that-piece-by-her-ex-husband-22818" target="_blank">Lankesh,</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-and-that-piece-by-her-ex-husband-22818" target="_blank"> and that piece by her ex-husband</a></p>

<p>Initially, he was arrested on February 19 on charges of illegally possessing five bullets.</p>

<p>A case under the Arms Act was then registered against him and he was remanded to judicial custody by a court.</p>

<p>Subsequently after interrogation, he was taken into eight-days custody by the SIT for suspected links in the Lankesh murder case.</p>

<p>The arrest comes two days after state Home Minister&nbsp;Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT would soon clear the air whether the police have picked up the right person in the case. &nbsp;Kumar&#39;s family has maintained that he was innocent and in no way connected to the case.</p>

<p>The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) B K Singh, had&nbsp;announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the? perpetrators of the crime.</p>

<p>The killing of the journalist had drawn widespread condemnation and the Siddaramaiah government had come under flak for not making any headway in nabbing the culprits. PTI&nbsp;</p>


The Special Investigation Team probing the murder said it had arrested alleged gunrunner KT Naveen Kumar who was taken into police custody on March 2 for interrogation

Six months after the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Karnataka police today arrested a man said to be linked with a right-wing radical group for his suspected involvement in the sensational killing. The Special Investigation Team, probing the murder, said it arrested alleged gunrunner K T Naveen Kumar, who was taken into police custody on March 2 for interrogation in connection with the case. This is the first arrest in the case after the 55-year old Lankesh, known as an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home here on September 5 last year. "He (Naveen Kumar) has been arrested. He is an accused (in the case)," Deputy Commissioner of Police M N Anucheth, the investigating officer in the case, told PTI here. Police said Kumar, in his 30s, was suspected to be linked with a fringe right-wing radical group. Also read: Gauri Lankesh, and that piece by her ex-husband Initially, he was arrested on February 19 on charges of illegally possessing five bullets. A case under the Arms Act was then registered against him and he was remanded to judicial custody by a court. Subsequently after interrogation, he was taken into eight-days custody by the SIT for suspected links in the Lankesh murder case. The arrest comes two days after state Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT would soon clear the air whether the police have picked up the right person in the case. Kumar's family has maintained that he was innocent and in no way connected to the case. The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) B K Singh, had announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the? perpetrators of the crime. The killing of the journalist had drawn widespread condemnation and the Siddaramaiah government had come under flak for not making any headway in nabbing the culprits. PTI

Karnataka SIT makes first arrest in Gauri Lankesh murder case

<p>The Bengaluru Magistrate Court has sent the first&nbsp;accused, KT Naveen Kumar,&nbsp;in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-murder-brother-seeks-cbi-inquiry-in-the-case-31112" target="_blank">Gauri Lankesh Murder&nbsp;case</a> to a five-day custody to Special Investigation Team.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Karnataka SIT took into custody the accused on March 3 after he was found with more than 15 rounds of cartridges of the .32 calibre.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was caught by the crime wing of the Karnataka police&#39;s central crime branch on February 18.</p>

<p>The police are now planning to conduct a lie detector test on Kumar.</p>

<p>He is also reported to have links with right-wing groups such as Sanatan Sanstha outfit and its affiliate Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.</p>

<p>Kumar is also suspected to&nbsp;have links in the shooting of&nbsp;rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">KT Naveen Kumar, an accused in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GauriLankesh</a> murder case, granted Special Investigation Team (SIT) custody for 5 days by Bengaluru Magistrate Court <a href="https://t.co/PZJdOtek6G">pic.twitter.com/PZJdOtek6G</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/972062672052195328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Gauri Lankesh was<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/senior-journalist-gauri-lankesh-shot-dead-in-her-bengaluru-home-19910" target="_blank"> shot outside her Bengaluru home </a>on the evening of September 5.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her&nbsp;killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi who were equally critical of the right wing.</p>


The Karnataka SIT took into custody accused KT Naveen Kumar on March 3 after he was found with more than 15 rounds of cartridges of the .32 calibre

The Bengaluru Magistrate Court has sent the first accused, KT Naveen Kumar, in the Gauri Lankesh Murder case to a five-day custody to Special Investigation Team. The Karnataka SIT took into custody the accused on March 3 after he was found with more than 15 rounds of cartridges of the .32 calibre. He was caught by the crime wing of the Karnataka police's central crime branch on February 18. The police are now planning to conduct a lie detector test on Kumar. He is also reported to have links with right-wing groups such as Sanatan Sanstha outfit and its affiliate Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. Kumar is also suspected to have links in the shooting of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. KT Naveen Kumar, an accused in #GauriLankesh murder case, granted Special Investigation Team (SIT) custody for 5 days by Bengaluru Magistrate Court pic.twitter.com/PZJdOtek6G — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2018 × Gauri Lankesh was shot outside her Bengaluru home on the evening of September 5. She edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike. Her killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi who were equally critical of the right wing.

Gauri Lankesh murder: SIT custody of accused KT Naveen Kumar extended by 5 days

<p>On the birth anniversary of journalist Gauri Lankesh, her family, colleagues, friends and supporters came together to remember her and pay tributes at a town hall in Bengaluru.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankeshs-killers-will-be-caught-in-a-few-weeks-karnataka-home-minister-24030">Gauri Lankesh&#39;s killers will be caught shortly: Minister </a></p>

<p>While remembering Gauri Lankesh, her brother Indrajit Lankesh sought CBI inquiry into&nbsp;the case.</p>

<p>He said, &quot;my sister was killed in Bengaluru at 7:45pm. We have to question the state government&quot;.</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-murder-sit-releases-sketches-of-suspects-22439">SIT releases sketches of suspects of Gauri Lankesh murder</a></p>

<p>However, her family earlier said that they will give time to Special Investigation Team(SIT) to find the murderer who is currently probing the case.</p>

<p>Slain journalist and activist would have turned 52 on Monday. Gauri was shot by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year.</p>

<p>Lankesh&#39;s murder has been compared to the murders of author Narendra Dabholkar and scholars MM Kalburgi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The murder of Gauri Lankesh triggered outrage across the nation, BJP leader KS Esharappa criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka for allegedly failing to protect Gauri and others.</p>

<p>Gauri Lankesh was known for being a critic of right-wing Hindu extremism.</p>


Slain journalist and activist would have turned 52 on Monday if she wouldn't have got shot to death by three unidentified men

On the birth anniversary of journalist Gauri Lankesh, her family, colleagues, friends and supporters came together to remember her and pay tributes at a town hall in Bengaluru. Also read: Gauri Lankesh's killers will be caught shortly: Minister While remembering Gauri Lankesh, her brother Indrajit Lankesh sought CBI inquiry into the case. He said, "my sister was killed in Bengaluru at 7:45pm. We have to question the state government". Also read: SIT releases sketches of suspects of Gauri Lankesh murder However, her family earlier said that they will give time to Special Investigation Team(SIT) to find the murderer who is currently probing the case. Slain journalist and activist would have turned 52 on Monday. Gauri was shot by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year. Lankesh's murder has been compared to the murders of author Narendra Dabholkar and scholars MM Kalburgi. The murder of Gauri Lankesh triggered outrage across the nation, BJP leader KS Esharappa criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka for allegedly failing to protect Gauri and others. Gauri Lankesh was known for being a critic of right-wing Hindu extremism.

Gauri Lankesh murder: Brother seeks CBI inquiry

<p>With the assembly elections in Karnataka on the agenda for 2018, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday appealed to the natives to support the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government under the leadership of BS Yeddyurappa.</p>

<p>Addressing a &quot;Parivarthan Rally&quot; in Bengaluru, Rajnath Singh while praising the former chief minister said, &quot;We want to empower Karnataka, and this will be possible when, in two to three months, a BJP government will be formed here. The BJP will contest in the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka under BS Yeddyurappa <em>ji</em>&#39;s leadership.&quot;</p>

<p>Accusing the Congress Party and its leadership in the state of indulging in corruption, Rajnath alleged that the grand old party is indulging in &quot;divide and rule&quot; in the state and causing communal disharmony by involving caste and other related factors. He further claimed that scams such as that related to the construction of a steel flyover are being ignited by the Congress.</p>

<p>&quot;Congress government here wants to divide the Karnataka community to rule. I received information that even though there is no regulation in the constitution, Muslim community here was befooled with reservation which was later out ruled by the Court,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Rajnath added, &quot;The government here created such an issue over Tipu Sultan. I do not want to dive deep into history, but I have to ask: Why is there no celebration for Kempegowda, Kittur Rani Chennamma or Sir M&nbsp;Visvesvaraya? Why only Tipu Sultan?&quot;</p>

<p>Congratulating the newly-elected president of the party, Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath further accused the Congress of igniting disorder and turmoil in several states, including Kashmir.&quot;I want to congratulate him (Rahul Gandhi) but also ask- did the fire of communalism, terrorism and naxalism in India erupt due to BJP`s policies? Did fire erupt in Kashmir due to BJP`s policies? If someone formed governments by setting fire, it is Congress. BJP is trying to douse the flame,&quot; claimed Rajnath.</p>

<p>Lashing out at the present state government over the lack of action being taken following the murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, Rajnath assured that if a BJP-led state government is formed, miscreants will not be spared, and laws would be more stringent.&quot;Paresh Mesta was recently killed. Gauri Lankesh was killed. What is this government doing in these murder cases? I want to assure Karnataka public that when our government is formed, we will probe her death from all angles, and culprits will be punished. We won&#39;t save anyone,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Lauding the initiatives across various fronts taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh claimed that India is no longer considered weak, and is now a superpower that nobody can questions.&quot;If not for the BJP and Prime Minister Modi, the Doklam issue would not have been resolved.&nbsp;</p>

<p>China too has understood that diplomatic ties have to be maintained. On the Indo-Pakistan border, our forces are strongly retaliating against attacks, as was seen during the surgical strike last year. We will not fire first, but if someone fires at us, we will not sit back,&quot; claimed Rajnath Singh.</p>

<p>Highlighting the economic reforms undertaken in the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, Rajnath Singh opined that steps such as demonetisation have lead to an intense crackdown on <em>benami</em><em> </em>properties, shell companies and black money. Further, steps like financial inclusion and strengthening of agriculture have been praised by international agencies such as Moody and others too, he said. At the rally, Rajnath was accompanied by Yeddyurappa and other party leaders.</p>

<p>Karnataka will go to polls in April next year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The home minister alleged that the Congress deliberately fooled the Muslim community in the state over the issue of reservation which was later turned down by the Supreme Court

With the assembly elections in Karnataka on the agenda for 2018, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday appealed to the natives to support the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government under the leadership of BS Yeddyurappa. Addressing a "Parivarthan Rally" in Bengaluru, Rajnath Singh while praising the former chief minister said, "We want to empower Karnataka, and this will be possible when, in two to three months, a BJP government will be formed here. The BJP will contest in the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka under BS Yeddyurappa ji's leadership." Accusing the Congress Party and its leadership in the state of indulging in corruption, Rajnath alleged that the grand old party is indulging in "divide and rule" in the state and causing communal disharmony by involving caste and other related factors. He further claimed that scams such as that related to the construction of a steel flyover are being ignited by the Congress. "Congress government here wants to divide the Karnataka community to rule. I received information that even though there is no regulation in the constitution, Muslim community here was befooled with reservation which was later out ruled by the Court," he said. Rajnath added, "The government here created such an issue over Tipu Sultan. I do not want to dive deep into history, but I have to ask: Why is there no celebration for Kempegowda, Kittur Rani Chennamma or Sir M Visvesvaraya? Why only Tipu Sultan?" Congratulating the newly-elected president of the party, Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath further accused the Congress of igniting disorder and turmoil in several states, including Kashmir."I want to congratulate him (Rahul Gandhi) but also ask- did the fire of communalism, terrorism and naxalism in India erupt due to BJP`s policies? Did fire erupt in Kashmir due to BJP`s policies? If someone formed governments by setting fire, it is Congress. BJP is trying to douse the flame," claimed Rajnath. Lashing out at the present state government over the lack of action being taken following the murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, Rajnath assured that if a BJP-led state government is formed, miscreants will not be spared, and laws would be more stringent."Paresh Mesta was recently killed. Gauri Lankesh was killed. What is this government doing in these murder cases? I want to assure Karnataka public that when our government is formed, we will probe her death from all angles, and culprits will be punished. We won't save anyone," he said. Lauding the initiatives across various fronts taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh claimed that India is no longer considered weak, and is now a superpower that nobody can questions."If not for the BJP and Prime Minister Modi, the Doklam issue would not have been resolved. China too has understood that diplomatic ties have to be maintained. On the Indo-Pakistan border, our forces are strongly retaliating against attacks, as was seen during the surgical strike last year. We will not fire first, but if someone fires at us, we will not sit back," claimed Rajnath Singh. Highlighting the economic reforms undertaken in the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, Rajnath Singh opined that steps such as demonetisation have lead to an intense crackdown on benami properties, shell companies and black money. Further, steps like financial inclusion and strengthening of agriculture have been praised by international agencies such as Moody and others too, he said. At the rally, Rajnath was accompanied by Yeddyurappa and other party leaders. Karnataka will go to polls in April next year.

Congress causing communal disharmony in Karnataka: Rajnath Singh

<p>Majority of newspapers in Tripura on Wednesday&nbsp;left space for editorials blank to protest&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/protest-against-murder-of-gauri-lankesh-4920">killing</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/protest-against-murder-of-gauri-lankesh-4920"> of journalist</a> Sudip Datta Bhowmik.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tripura: BJP and Congress have called for a bandh Tripura to protest killing of journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik; Many newspapers have left space for editorials blank, to voice protest. <a href="https://t.co/0Scu6VnE9h">pic.twitter.com/0Scu6VnE9h</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/933573993516244992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes a day after Commandant of 2nd Tripura State Rifles Tapan Debbarma was arrested&nbsp;in connection with journalist Sudip&#39;s alleged murder.</p>

<p>Shocked&nbsp;journalists in Tripura on Wednesday expressed disappointment with national media for showing &quot;lack of interests&quot; in the killing of journalists in the northeast.</p>

<p>Sujit Chakraborty, eminent journalist, and ex-secretary of Agartala Press Club, said, &quot;The killing of Sudip didn&#39;t get prominent coverage by the national media. Except some small news items, they ignored the heinous crime. Had it happened in major cities, it would have got wider publicity by both national print and electronic media.&quot;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/journalist-of-tripura-shot-dead-by-policeman-24752">Sudip Datta Bhowmik was allegedly shot dead on Tuesday in Tripura&#39;s RK Nagar.</a></p>

<p>He was reportedly killed inside the battalion headquarters of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) in RK Nagar.</p>

<p>&quot;Sudip&#39;s was a cold-blooded murder. He was killed inside the Circle Officer&#39;s room,&quot; Bhowmik&#39;s brother told ANI.</p>

<p>Earlier, on September 20, a journalist, Santanu Bhowmik, was killed allegedly while he was covering a road blockade agitation of the IPFT.</p>

<p>Another journalist, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/protest-against-murder-of-gauri-lankesh-4920">Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead point blank outside her residence on the outskirts of Bengaluru</a>, Karnataka on September 6, triggering protests in many parts of the country.</p>

<p>It was said Lankesh was targetted for her work against right-wing Hindu extremism.&nbsp;</p>


?Majority of newspapers in Tripura leave space for editorials blank to protest against killing of journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik

Majority of newspapers in Tripura on Wednesday left space for editorials blank to protest killing of journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik. Tripura: BJP and Congress have called for a bandh Tripura to protest killing of journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik; Many newspapers have left space for editorials blank, to voice protest. pic.twitter.com/0Scu6VnE9h — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2017 × This comes a day after Commandant of 2nd Tripura State Rifles Tapan Debbarma was arrested in connection with journalist Sudip's alleged murder. Shocked journalists in Tripura on Wednesday expressed disappointment with national media for showing "lack of interests" in the killing of journalists in the northeast. Sujit Chakraborty, eminent journalist, and ex-secretary of Agartala Press Club, said, "The killing of Sudip didn't get prominent coverage by the national media. Except some small news items, they ignored the heinous crime. Had it happened in major cities, it would have got wider publicity by both national print and electronic media." Also Read: Sudip Datta Bhowmik was allegedly shot dead on Tuesday in Tripura's RK Nagar. He was reportedly killed inside the battalion headquarters of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) in RK Nagar. "Sudip's was a cold-blooded murder. He was killed inside the Circle Officer's room," Bhowmik's brother told ANI. Earlier, on September 20, a journalist, Santanu Bhowmik, was killed allegedly while he was covering a road blockade agitation of the IPFT. Another journalist, Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead point blank outside her residence on the outskirts of Bengaluru, Karnataka on September 6, triggering protests in many parts of the country. It was said Lankesh was targetted for her work against right-wing Hindu extremism.

Newspapers in Tripura protest against killing of journalist

<p>Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh&#39;s killers will &quot;100 per cent be caught&quot; in a few weeks, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Saturday.</p>

<p>Mr Reddy said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the killing had clues about the assailants, but those could not be disclosed at the moment.</p>

<p>&quot;Who has done it...I am aware of it thanks to an update provided by the SIT. But I cannot disclose it now,&quot; Mr Reddy said at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Press Club of Bangalore<br />
and the Bangalore Reporters&#39; Guild.</p>

<p>&quot;Gauri&#39;s killers will 100 per cent be caught. This will happen in a few weeks,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Weeks do not mean one or two weeks. It (the arrest of the killers) will happen in a matter of a few weeks. This will happen 100 per cent,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>The Karnataka Home Minister said it was &quot;one issue&quot; whether Gauri Lankesh was killed by left-wing or right-wing extremists or whether it was because of &quot;some other thinking&quot;.</p>

<p>Gauri Lankesh, who was known for her anti-right wing views, was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside her home on the night of September 5.</p>

<p>The murder led to a national outrage and protests by several groups over &quot;rising intolerance&quot; in the country, with the criticism targeted at the BJP-led central government and right-wing groups.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-murder-sit-releases-sketches-of-suspects-22439">The SIT had last month released three sketches of the two suspects in the case</a>. The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects.&nbsp;The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place.</p>

<p>On October 4, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT had identified the killers and had clues but that police was trying to collect proper evidence.</p>

<p>The Congress government in Karnataka, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, has also announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for anyone providing<br />
clues about the killers.</p>

<p>Gauri Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi who were equally critical of the right wing.</p>

<p>The journalist&#39;s family has made a plea not to give a political colour to her killing.</p>

<p>They had said the investigators should look into all possible aspects of the case, as reports had emerged about a possible Naxal hand in the crime, besides the suspected involvement of right-wing<br />
extremists.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said he was aware who had committed the crime

Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh's killers will "100 per cent be caught" in a few weeks, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Saturday. Mr Reddy said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the killing had clues about the assailants, but those could not be disclosed at the moment. "Who has done it...I am aware of it thanks to an update provided by the SIT. But I cannot disclose it now," Mr Reddy said at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Press Club of Bangalore and the Bangalore Reporters' Guild. "Gauri's killers will 100 per cent be caught. This will happen in a few weeks," he said. "Weeks do not mean one or two weeks. It (the arrest of the killers) will happen in a matter of a few weeks. This will happen 100 per cent," he added. The Karnataka Home Minister said it was "one issue" whether Gauri Lankesh was killed by left-wing or right-wing extremists or whether it was because of "some other thinking". Gauri Lankesh, who was known for her anti-right wing views, was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside her home on the night of September 5. The murder led to a national outrage and protests by several groups over "rising intolerance" in the country, with the criticism targeted at the BJP-led central government and right-wing groups. The SIT had last month released three sketches of the two suspects in the case. The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects. The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place. On October 4, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT had identified the killers and had clues but that police was trying to collect proper evidence. The Congress government in Karnataka, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, has also announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for anyone providing clues about the killers. Gauri Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike. Her killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi who were equally critical of the right wing. The journalist's family has made a plea not to give a political colour to her killing. They had said the investigators should look into all possible aspects of the case, as reports had emerged about a possible Naxal hand in the crime, besides the suspected involvement of right-wing extremists.

Gauri Lankesh's killers will be caught shortly: Minister

<p>In the past few months, I&rsquo;ve seen many journalists crib about the excesses of the government, slam them for the lack of morals or turn on their own organisations for suppressing stories that were inconvenient. But more disturbingly, I&rsquo;ve seen journalists come under attack for reporting the news as they see it. And some of these attacks aren&rsquo;t just by Twitter trolls.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
In April this year, a HOOT study said that 54 attacks and 25 cases of threatening journalists took place in the preceding 16 months. Nearly two months after scribe Gauri Lankesh was shot outside her Bengaluru house, the case remains unsolved and the killers at large. The 2017 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders ranks India an abysmal 136 out of 180 nations. While we are doing better than Pakistan (139) and China (176), it is a sad commentary that even strife-torn Afghanistan (120) ranks better. A report by the Press Council of India states that of the over 80 journalists killed since 1990, there has been a conviction in only one case.</p>

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<h5>This isn&rsquo;t just about press freedoms, it is about people being killed for just doing their job &ndash; telling a truth that was perhaps too inconvenient.</h5>
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<p>Matters, it seems, have come to such a pass that the central government has issued an advisory to states last week to ensure all attacks on journalists are investigated promptly and perpetrators get prosecuted in a &lsquo;time-bound manner&rsquo;. The advisory to the Director Generals of Police says,&rdquo; States should also take all preventive and deterrent action as deemed required. States are already empowered to provide security to individuals based on threat perceptions.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;The Fourth Estate is an important institution of the democracy. It ensures that citizens are able to express their opinions freely without any fear and coercion as provided under the Constitution of India. It is the duty of the state to ensure safety and security of the journalists who ensure that the Fourth Estate discharges this key duty,&quot; the advisory said.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
I question why such an advisory is required? Aren&rsquo;t state agencies committed to ensuring freedom of the press? We have laws. What we need is a better implementation of the criminal justice system. This isn&rsquo;t just about press freedoms, it is about people being killed for just doing their job &ndash; telling a truth that was perhaps too inconvenient.</p>

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<h5>These &lsquo;truth-adjudicating&rsquo; self-appointed guardians of civil society are anything but civil, and delegitimising media outlets and journalists are a harbinger of troubled times.</h5>
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<p><strong>Blame it on the Scribe. Carry on Trolling!</strong><br />
&nbsp;<br />
Trolling any journalist is easy. Perhaps killing them is too. On my own twitter profile @prasadsanyal, I&rsquo;ve described myself as &ldquo;News junkie, Foodie, Sickular, Presstitute&rdquo;. &nbsp;The self-inflicted rhetoric was my way of holding trolls at bay. When it comes to dealing with those on social media out to get me because they don&rsquo;t agree with my views, I&rsquo;m at an asymmetrical disadvantage. These &lsquo;truth-adjudicating&rsquo; self-appointed guardians of civil society are anything but civil, and delegitimising media outlets and journalists are a harbinger of troubled times.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Some of this anger vented at the media is self-inflicted - that I&rsquo;ll admit. A responsible media is one that is committed to the integrity of news and, has checks and balances to ensure that the reportage is not skewed. That said, a story has many sides and what a journalist chooses to tell is shamed by her socialisation and milieu.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
A responsible society not only engages with all news sources at its disposal but also encourages, through constant engagement, a more bi-partisan approach where every angle in a story can be adequately represented.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Media outlets are a reflection of society. Drawing room conversations blaming journalists for sensationalising news should also be an occasion to introspect. Are we as a people becoming increasingly vouyeristic? If people don&rsquo;t like what they see, then perhaps it is time to stop reading, watching and consuming whatever content is being offered and look for alternatives.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Remaining silent or blindly condemning aren&rsquo;t the only two routes available. Most media outlets have robust feedback mechanisms. Engage respectfully and be the catalyst for the change you want to see.</p>


Better implementation of the criminal justice system will put an end to impunity for crimes against journalists

In the past few months, I’ve seen many journalists crib about the excesses of the government, slam them for the lack of morals or turn on their own organisations for suppressing stories that were inconvenient. But more disturbingly, I’ve seen journalists come under attack for reporting the news as they see it. And some of these attacks aren’t just by Twitter trolls. In April this year, a HOOT study said that 54 attacks and 25 cases of threatening journalists took place in the preceding 16 months. Nearly two months after scribe Gauri Lankesh was shot outside her Bengaluru house, the case remains unsolved and the killers at large. The 2017 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders ranks India an abysmal 136 out of 180 nations. While we are doing better than Pakistan (139) and China (176), it is a sad commentary that even strife-torn Afghanistan (120) ranks better. A report by the Press Council of India states that of the over 80 journalists killed since 1990, there has been a conviction in only one case. This isn’t just about press freedoms, it is about people being killed for just doing their job – telling a truth that was perhaps too inconvenient. × Matters, it seems, have come to such a pass that the central government has issued an advisory to states last week to ensure all attacks on journalists are investigated promptly and perpetrators get prosecuted in a ‘time-bound manner’. The advisory to the Director Generals of Police says,” States should also take all preventive and deterrent action as deemed required. States are already empowered to provide security to individuals based on threat perceptions.” "The Fourth Estate is an important institution of the democracy. It ensures that citizens are able to express their opinions freely without any fear and coercion as provided under the Constitution of India. It is the duty of the state to ensure safety and security of the journalists who ensure that the Fourth Estate discharges this key duty," the advisory said. I question why such an advisory is required? Aren’t state agencies committed to ensuring freedom of the press? We have laws. What we need is a better implementation of the criminal justice system. This isn’t just about press freedoms, it is about people being killed for just doing their job – telling a truth that was perhaps too inconvenient. These ‘truth-adjudicating’ self-appointed guardians of civil society are anything but civil, and delegitimising media outlets and journalists are a harbinger of troubled times. × Blame it on the Scribe. Carry on Trolling! Trolling any journalist is easy. Perhaps killing them is too. On my own twitter profile @prasadsanyal, I’ve described myself as “News junkie, Foodie, Sickular, Presstitute”. The self-inflicted rhetoric was my way of holding trolls at bay. When it comes to dealing with those on social media out to get me because they don’t agree with my views, I’m at an asymmetrical disadvantage. These ‘truth-adjudicating’ self-appointed guardians of civil society are anything but civil, and delegitimising media outlets and journalists are a harbinger of troubled times. Some of this anger vented at the media is self-inflicted - that I’ll admit. A responsible media is one that is committed to the integrity of news and, has checks and balances to ensure that the reportage is not skewed. That said, a story has many sides and what a journalist chooses to tell is shamed by her socialisation and milieu. A responsible society not only engages with all news sources at its disposal but also encourages, through constant engagement, a more bi-partisan approach where every angle in a story can be adequately represented. Media outlets are a reflection of society. Drawing room conversations blaming journalists for sensationalising news should also be an occasion to introspect. Are we as a people becoming increasingly vouyeristic? If people don’t like what they see, then perhaps it is time to stop reading, watching and consuming whatever content is being offered and look for alternatives. Remaining silent or blindly condemning aren’t the only two routes available. Most media outlets have robust feedback mechanisms. Engage respectfully and be the catalyst for the change you want to see.

News needn't be convenient. Don't shoot the messenger

<p>Chhattisgarh police&nbsp;arrested senior journalist Vinod Verma on October 27 charging him with extortion and blackmail.</p>

<p>Police alleged Verma tried to extort money from Chhattisgarh PWD minister Rajesh Kumar.</p>

<p>Vinod Verma has been sent on transit remand by a Ghaziabad Court, ANI reported, adding that he will be presented before a Chhattisgarh court by police.</p>

<p>Vinod Verma told the media while he was being arrested that the Chhattisgarh government was unhappy&nbsp;with him&nbsp;because he&nbsp;had &quot;a sex CD of the state minister, Rajesh Munat&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have a sex CD of a Chhattisgarh Minister, he is Rajesh Munat &amp; that is why Chhattisgarh Govt is not happy with me: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VinodVerma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VinodVerma</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/923813110015672320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Verma had earlier&nbsp;denied possession of any CD and had said that he was being framed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that he has nothing to do with the CD, he just had a pen drive. He later accepted that he had&nbsp;the CD.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Govt of Chhattisgarh is not happy with me. I just have a pen drive, have nothing to do with CD. Clearly, I am being framed: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VinodVerma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VinodVerma</a> <a href="https://t.co/wTkbHNfaTC">pic.twitter.com/wTkbHNfaTC</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/923810069061419008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VinodVerma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VinodVerma</a> arrested by Chhattisgarh Police on extortion charges being taken to Ghaziabad District court from Indirapuram PS. <a href="https://t.co/m1vNdmwAEZ">pic.twitter.com/m1vNdmwAEZ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/923805052996743168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, news agency PTI reported that the police seized 500 CDS, pen drives, laptops from Verma&#39;s house.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;A huge quantity of CDs has been seized from the journalist&#39;s house. We are scrutinising the material to check whether there is any link to sex scandal involving higher-ups,&quot;&nbsp; PTI quoted senior Superintendent of Police H N Singh as saying.</p>

<p>The complaint was lodged by a man named Prakash Bajaj at Pandri police station in Raipur, PTI reported.</p>

<p>Vinod Verma is the executive member of Editors Guild of India and a former BBC journalist.&nbsp;He has been booked under the Information Technology (IT) Act, police said.</p>

<p>The Raipur police told the media that the contents of the CD violate Section 67 of the IT Act.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Investigation is underway, can&#39;t reveal the details but contents of the CD violate Section 67 of IT Act: Raipur Police on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VinodVerma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VinodVerma</a> case <a href="https://t.co/i1eCkYwrPb">pic.twitter.com/i1eCkYwrPb</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/923796965376135168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Police alleged Verma tried to extort money from PWD minister Rajesh Verma

Chhattisgarh police arrested senior journalist Vinod Verma on October 27 charging him with extortion and blackmail. Police alleged Verma tried to extort money from Chhattisgarh PWD minister Rajesh Kumar. Vinod Verma has been sent on transit remand by a Ghaziabad Court, ANI reported, adding that he will be presented before a Chhattisgarh court by police. Vinod Verma told the media while he was being arrested that the Chhattisgarh government was unhappy with him because he had "a sex CD of the state minister, Rajesh Munat". I have a sex CD of a Chhattisgarh Minister, he is Rajesh Munat & that is why Chhattisgarh Govt is not happy with me: #VinodVerma — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 27, 2017 × Verma had earlier denied possession of any CD and had said that he was being framed. He said that he has nothing to do with the CD, he just had a pen drive. He later accepted that he had the CD. Govt of Chhattisgarh is not happy with me. I just have a pen drive, have nothing to do with CD. Clearly, I am being framed: #VinodVerma pic.twitter.com/wTkbHNfaTC — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 27, 2017 × Journalist #VinodVerma arrested by Chhattisgarh Police on extortion charges being taken to Ghaziabad District court from Indirapuram PS. pic.twitter.com/m1vNdmwAEZ — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 27, 2017 × Meanwhile, news agency PTI reported that the police seized 500 CDS, pen drives, laptops from Verma's house. "A huge quantity of CDs has been seized from the journalist's house. We are scrutinising the material to check whether there is any link to sex scandal involving higher-ups," PTI quoted senior Superintendent of Police H N Singh as saying. The complaint was lodged by a man named Prakash Bajaj at Pandri police station in Raipur, PTI reported. Vinod Verma is the executive member of Editors Guild of India and a former BBC journalist. He has been booked under the Information Technology (IT) Act, police said. The Raipur police told the media that the contents of the CD violate Section 67 of the IT Act. Investigation is underway, can't reveal the details but contents of the CD violate Section 67 of IT Act: Raipur Police on #VinodVerma case pic.twitter.com/i1eCkYwrPb — ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2017 ×

Chhattisgarh police arrest journalist Vinod Verma, allege extortion

<p>I had been worried about the pathos I would find in the piece and so had put off reading it for a few days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I was familiar with Chidanand Rajghatta&#39;s work, having worked with the Times of India. Chidanand is the Times&#39; Washington DC correspondent, and his work is always competent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sure enough, when I finally sat down to reading the piece one quiet evening over dinner, it left me watery-eyed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>How could it not have?&nbsp;</p>

<p>A woman had been shot at the doorstep of her home in cold blood by people who can only be described as cowardly (terrorists?), and her ex-husband was writing about her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it also left me appalled, and not because of anything that Chidanand had written.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gauri and Chidanand had met in school, had courted for five years, and then been married for another five before going their separate ways.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They remained friends, with each other and their in-laws.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chidanand says they reached out to hold hands before the judge hearing their divorce petition and their lawyers hissed that they should disengage should they wish to disengage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After their divorce, they went to lunch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his piece, I thought Chidanand hit a high &ndash; which reminded me of Naipaul &ndash; and a low.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his first book on India, An Area of Darkness, Naipaul describes his friendship with a Sardarji he meets in south India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Like the average north Indian, the Sardarji salivates over his &ldquo;Aryan&rdquo; heritage, looks down upon what he sees as the darker south Indians &ndash; &ldquo;monkeys&rdquo; he calls them &ndash; thinks they stare at him, and finally commits an act of violence against what he thinks is a south Indian man gawking at him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lying on his back, the &ldquo;south Indian&rdquo; man tells the Sardarji that he is just like him &ndash; a north Indian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I had had to double back to the passage &ndash; the incident is recounted with such a deft touch &ndash; asking myself: &ldquo;Did the Sardarji really slap that man?&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>There is a similar exchange over cigarette smoking in Chidanand&#39;s piece.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gauri is visiting him in Washington and wishes to smoke.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chidanand insists that she go outside to do so, that she not smoke inside the house.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gauri tells him it&#39;s cold outside, and that she started smoking because of him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tough luck, he says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You&#39;re becoming too American, she says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It&#39;s got nothing to do with being American, he says. It&#39;s about being healthy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;Bollocks,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;I&#39;ll outlive you.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;Liar&rdquo;, Chidanand writes in his piece.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And leaves it at that.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He hits his low when he refers to the maid that Gauri had sent his way as her &ldquo;gift to us&rdquo;, writing that she is still with him. (It is incorrect to refer to a human being as a gift, even in India where we often treat our domestic help as if they might be.)&nbsp;</p>

<p>But all of this seemed to elude most of Chidanand&#39;s readers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After having read his piece, I looked at the comments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The &ldquo;top comment&rdquo; said, &ldquo;Press ti tutes and award wapsi brigades are big time bstds.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>A second said, &ldquo;Gouri khan was a chain smoker and a drunkard woman.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>A third said &ldquo;The writer is a bad journalist at worst.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>A fourth educated Chidanand on how one could smoke inside a house in the US &ndash; &ldquo;smoke at the chimney... smoke into the exhaust fan in the kitchen... smoke in the bathroom&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A fifth said, &ldquo;whosoever has eliminated the ultra leftist has done a splendid job. you live and prosper on this land.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>And it went on and on and on... (Perhaps I am being too unfair. There were also a few sensible, sensitive comments but they were far outnumbered by the other kind).&nbsp;</p>

<p>How did we become a people like this &ndash; full of sound and fury signifying nothing?&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are stray answers here and there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That the anonymity afforded by the internet reins in the better angels of our nature. That now that everybody is able to broadcast his or her opinion via social media, nobody is interested in anybody else&#39;s. That our younger generations are not familiar with the idea of reading a book, and therefore struggle with complex ideas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Whatever the reason(s) might be, the state of affairs worries me.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They say the biggest problem facing India today is the lack of jobs. But even if we were able to create them &ndash; what jobs would we give these people?&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Follow Parakram on Twitter @parakramrautela</em></p>


I knew I would find pathos in the piece but it also left me appalled ? and not because of anything that Chidanand Rajghatta had written

I had been worried about the pathos I would find in the piece and so had put off reading it for a few days. I was familiar with Chidanand Rajghatta's work, having worked with the Times of India. Chidanand is the Times' Washington DC correspondent, and his work is always competent. Sure enough, when I finally sat down to reading the piece one quiet evening over dinner, it left me watery-eyed. How could it not have? A woman had been shot at the doorstep of her home in cold blood by people who can only be described as cowardly (terrorists?), and her ex-husband was writing about her. But it also left me appalled, and not because of anything that Chidanand had written. Gauri and Chidanand had met in school, had courted for five years, and then been married for another five before going their separate ways. They remained friends, with each other and their in-laws. Chidanand says they reached out to hold hands before the judge hearing their divorce petition and their lawyers hissed that they should disengage should they wish to disengage. After their divorce, they went to lunch. In his piece, I thought Chidanand hit a high – which reminded me of Naipaul – and a low. In his first book on India, An Area of Darkness, Naipaul describes his friendship with a Sardarji he meets in south India. Like the average north Indian, the Sardarji salivates over his “Aryan” heritage, looks down upon what he sees as the darker south Indians – “monkeys” he calls them – thinks they stare at him, and finally commits an act of violence against what he thinks is a south Indian man gawking at him. Lying on his back, the “south Indian” man tells the Sardarji that he is just like him – a north Indian. I had had to double back to the passage – the incident is recounted with such a deft touch – asking myself: “Did the Sardarji really slap that man?” There is a similar exchange over cigarette smoking in Chidanand's piece. Gauri is visiting him in Washington and wishes to smoke. Chidanand insists that she go outside to do so, that she not smoke inside the house. Gauri tells him it's cold outside, and that she started smoking because of him. Tough luck, he says. You're becoming too American, she says. It's got nothing to do with being American, he says. It's about being healthy. “Bollocks,” she says. “I'll outlive you.” “Liar”, Chidanand writes in his piece. And leaves it at that. He hits his low when he refers to the maid that Gauri had sent his way as her “gift to us”, writing that she is still with him. (It is incorrect to refer to a human being as a gift, even in India where we often treat our domestic help as if they might be.) But all of this seemed to elude most of Chidanand's readers. After having read his piece, I looked at the comments. The “top comment” said, “Press ti tutes and award wapsi brigades are big time bstds.” A second said, “Gouri khan was a chain smoker and a drunkard woman.” A third said “The writer is a bad journalist at worst.” A fourth educated Chidanand on how one could smoke inside a house in the US – “smoke at the chimney... smoke into the exhaust fan in the kitchen... smoke in the bathroom”. A fifth said, “whosoever has eliminated the ultra leftist has done a splendid job. you live and prosper on this land.” And it went on and on and on... (Perhaps I am being too unfair. There were also a few sensible, sensitive comments but they were far outnumbered by the other kind). How did we become a people like this – full of sound and fury signifying nothing? There are stray answers here and there. That the anonymity afforded by the internet reins in the better angels of our nature. That now that everybody is able to broadcast his or her opinion via social media, nobody is interested in anybody else's. That our younger generations are not familiar with the idea of reading a book, and therefore struggle with complex ideas. Whatever the reason(s) might be, the state of affairs worries me. They say the biggest problem facing India today is the lack of jobs. But even if we were able to create them – what jobs would we give these people? Follow Parakram on Twitter @parakramrautela

Gauri Lankesh, and that piece by her ex-husband

<p>The Special Investigation Team <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-killing-special-investigation-team-begins-probe-19985">which is investigating the murder of Karnataka-based journalist Gauri Lankesh </a>released three sketches of the two suspects in the case.</p>

<p>SIT chief BK Singh said the sketches were being released because the police wanted the co-operation of the people.</p>

<p>&quot;Based on the information we made sketches, we want cooperation from people so we are releasing sketches of the suspects,&quot; the SIT chief said.</p>

<p>The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> CCTV footage of one of the suspects in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GauriLankesh</a> case. Police say, he was conducting recce before the murder. <a href="https://t.co/6jfNJjMO5e">pic.twitter.com/6jfNJjMO5e</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/919092731552587776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The SIT said there were two sketches&nbsp;which were similar because they were made by two artists based on different eyewitness accounts.</p>

<p>Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying that they saw the suspects in the area nearly seven days prior to the crime.<br />
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The chief of the investigating tribunal also cautioned that the religion of the suspects could not be determined on the basis of their external appearance like tilak or<br />
earrings because this could have been done to mislead.</p>

<p>&quot;We have investigated 200-250 people in connection with the case,&quot; BK Singh said.</p>

<p>He also clarified that there was no confirmation that the weapons in the Gauri Lankesh murder and the MM Kalburgi case were the same.</p>

<p>Gauri Lankesh was shot outside her Bengaluru home on the evening of September 5.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place.</p>

<p>On October 4, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT had identified the killers and had clues but that police was trying to collect proper evidence.</p>

<p>Gauri Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her&nbsp;killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi who were equally critical of the right wing.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


SIT chief BK Singh said the sketches were being released because the police wanted the co-operation of the people

The Special Investigation Team which is investigating the murder of Karnataka-based journalist Gauri Lankesh released three sketches of the two suspects in the case. SIT chief BK Singh said the sketches were being released because the police wanted the co-operation of the people. "Based on the information we made sketches, we want cooperation from people so we are releasing sketches of the suspects," the SIT chief said. The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects. #WATCH CCTV footage of one of the suspects in #GauriLankesh case. Police say, he was conducting recce before the murder. pic.twitter.com/6jfNJjMO5e — ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2017 × The SIT said there were two sketches which were similar because they were made by two artists based on different eyewitness accounts. Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying that they saw the suspects in the area nearly seven days prior to the crime. The chief of the investigating tribunal also cautioned that the religion of the suspects could not be determined on the basis of their external appearance like tilak or earrings because this could have been done to mislead. "We have investigated 200-250 people in connection with the case," BK Singh said. He also clarified that there was no confirmation that the weapons in the Gauri Lankesh murder and the MM Kalburgi case were the same. Gauri Lankesh was shot outside her Bengaluru home on the evening of September 5. The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place. On October 4, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT had identified the killers and had clues but that police was trying to collect proper evidence. Gauri Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike. Her killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi who were equally critical of the right wing.

Gauri Lankesh murder: SIT releases sketches of suspects

<p>A case has been registered against actor Prakash Raj in a Lucknow Court.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The complaint against Raj had been filed by a lawyer over the actor&#39;s remarks on PM Modi.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Case registered against actor Prakash Raj in a Lucknow Court on complaint by a lawyer over his remarks on PM Modi; Case to be heard on 7 Oct</p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/915531606164566016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>ANI reported that the case will be heard on October 7.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Raj had slammed the PM&#39;s silence over the killing of Gauri Lankesh, and the fact that the prime minister continued to follow some people on social media who had celebrated Lankesh&#39;s killing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Raj had said the PM was a better actor than him, and that he should maybe therefore give the acting awards he had won to the prime minister.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/prakash-raj-calls-modi-a-better-actor-over-his-silence-on-gauri-lankeshs-murder-20932" target="_blank">Also read: &#39;PM Modi better actor than me,&#39; says actor Prakash Raj</a></p>


The complaint against Raj was filed by a lawyer over the actor's remarks on PM Modi

A case has been registered against actor Prakash Raj in a Lucknow Court. The complaint against Raj had been filed by a lawyer over the actor's remarks on PM Modi. Case registered against actor Prakash Raj in a Lucknow Court on complaint by a lawyer over his remarks on PM Modi; Case to be heard on 7 Oct — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 4, 2017 × ANI reported that the case will be heard on October 7. Raj had slammed the PM's silence over the killing of Gauri Lankesh, and the fact that the prime minister continued to follow some people on social media who had celebrated Lankesh's killing. Raj had said the PM was a better actor than him, and that he should maybe therefore give the acting awards he had won to the prime minister. Also read: 'PM Modi better actor than me,' says actor Prakash Raj

Case registered against actor Prakash Raj in Lucknow court

<p>Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy has said the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-killing-special-investigation-team-begins-probe-19985" target="_blank">special investigation team probing the murder of Gauri Lankesh </a>has identified her killers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gauri Lankesh was shot outside her Bengaluru home on the evening of September 5.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The man who shot her had been wearing a motorcycle helmet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;If there is no proper evidence when we file the charge sheet in the court, it won&#39;t stand. So we are trying to collect the evidence properly. We know who has done it (the killing) and what.... everything we know,&quot; PTI quoted Reddy as saying.</p>

<p>&quot;We have got clues, but we cannot tell things to the media for now because we should have correct evidence for the clues we have got,&quot; Reddy said.</p>

<p>PTI added that Reddy had on September 9 made similar claims of having found &quot;some clues&quot; related to the murder of Gauri Lankesh.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lankesh&#39;s murder had incited huge outrage and protests around the country.</p>

<p>Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The general consensus is that she was murdered for her views.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lankesh&#39;s killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Like Lankesh, they were killed by motorcycle-borne men. And like her, they were severely critical of the right wing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/senior-journalist-gauri-lankesh-shot-dead-in-her-bengaluru-home-19910" target="_blank">Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh shot dead in her Bengaluru home</a></p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-killing-special-investigation-team-begins-probe-19985" target="_blank">Gauri Lankesh killing: Special investigation team begins probe </a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


'We know who has done it and what... everything we know,' Ramalinga Reddy said

Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy has said the special investigation team probing the murder of Gauri Lankesh has identified her killers. Gauri Lankesh was shot outside her Bengaluru home on the evening of September 5. The man who shot her had been wearing a motorcycle helmet. He had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man. "If there is no proper evidence when we file the charge sheet in the court, it won't stand. So we are trying to collect the evidence properly. We know who has done it (the killing) and what.... everything we know," PTI quoted Reddy as saying. "We have got clues, but we cannot tell things to the media for now because we should have correct evidence for the clues we have got," Reddy said. PTI added that Reddy had on September 9 made similar claims of having found "some clues" related to the murder of Gauri Lankesh. Lankesh's murder had incited huge outrage and protests around the country. Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike. The general consensus is that she was murdered for her views. Lankesh's killing was very similar to the earlier killings of the rationalists and activists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and MM Kalburgi. Like Lankesh, they were killed by motorcycle-borne men. And like her, they were severely critical of the right wing. Also read: Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh shot dead in her Bengaluru home Also read: Gauri Lankesh killing: Special investigation team begins probe

We know who killed Gauri Lankesh: Karnataka home minister

<p>Prominent actor and recipient of National Award, Prakash Raj attacked Narendra Modi on his &quot;silence&quot;&nbsp;over journalist Gauri Lankesh&#39;s murder.</p>

<p>The actor said PM&nbsp;Modi is a bigger actor than him and should be given the award instead.</p>

<p>&quot;The PM is a bigger actor than me, I should give him my award,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>He expressed his concern&nbsp;over crowds allegedly celebrating Gauri&#39;s murder on social media.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;There is a huge crowd out there enjoying and celebrating it (Gauri Lankesh&rsquo;s murder) on social media. We all know what their ideology is. Some of those celebrating this ghastly episode are being followed by none other than Mr Narendra Modi himself. This worries me,&rdquo; Raj said at the 11th state meet of the Left-leaning Democratic Youth Federation of India, Deccan Chronicle reported.</p>

<p>Raj added&nbsp;that his expertise in the acting helps him to figure out when someone is acting.</p>

<p>&quot;I am a renowned actor, do you (Modi) think I will not be able to detect when you are acting. At least show me some respect, considering the fact that I am an actor and I will be able to tell what is the truth and what is acting,&quot; he said, according to a report in News Minute.</p>

<p>As some&nbsp;misquoted the actor, claiming he wanted to return the National Award, Raj later clarified on his Twitter handle that he does not intend to return his national awards as the award&nbsp;represents his hard work and achievements.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I am not a fool to give back my National Awards, which have been given to me for my body of work, and which I&rsquo;m very proud of,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But yes, coming to the point, I would like to own up to certain things.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t know who has killed them, but we do know who is celebrating,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;and I am pained, I am taken aback by the celebrations of an inhuman killing, and for the very fact that I have vented out my pain and my anguish towards those people who are celebrating, I have been trolled.&rdquo;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What&#39;s said...n what&#39;s not said. For all out there .. thank you <a href="https://t.co/zIT7rnkFxb">pic.twitter.com/zIT7rnkFxb</a></p>
&mdash; Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) <a href="https://twitter.com/prakashraaj/status/914842966157434880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&ldquo;Some of these people who celebrated her (Gauri&rsquo;s) murder are followed by our Prime Minister on Twitter. We have a PM who shuts his eyes to this,&rdquo; he said.</p>

<p>&ldquo;But if such people are being followed by the Prime Minister, and Prime Minister is not taking a stand on them and not commenting on them, as a citizen of this country, I am disturbed, hurt and afraid by the silence of the Prime Minister,&rdquo; he explained.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I am talking to my Prime Minister, and I say your silence is chilling,&rdquo; he added, &ldquo;and I have a right to say this.&rdquo;</p>

<p>He had earlier at the state meet said the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, is a better actor than him.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Gauri&rsquo;s killers have not been caught yet. But what is more disappointing is people celebrating her murder over social media spreading hatred,&rdquo; Raj said.</p>

<p>&ldquo;When you look at the kind of statements he (Adityanath) makes, you don&rsquo;t understand whether he&rsquo;s a Chief Minister or a priest. He (Adityanath) is a better actor than me. I think I must give out all my five national awards to him.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Muneer Katipalla, the state president of DYFI also provided a clarification over Raj&#39;s earlier statements, saying, &ldquo;It was only a satirical comment that Prakash Raj made referring to how Adityanath was trying to act like a Chief Minister.&rdquo;</p>

<p>In 2015, several filmmakers, including Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan, returned their national award to protest against the &quot;growing intolerance in the country&quot;.</p>


Actor Prakash Raj expressed his concern?over crowds allegedly celebrating Gauri's murder on social media.

Prominent actor and recipient of National Award, Prakash Raj attacked Narendra Modi on his "silence" over journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder. The actor said PM Modi is a bigger actor than him and should be given the award instead. "The PM is a bigger actor than me, I should give him my award," he said. He expressed his concern over crowds allegedly celebrating Gauri's murder on social media. “There is a huge crowd out there enjoying and celebrating it (Gauri Lankesh’s murder) on social media. We all know what their ideology is. Some of those celebrating this ghastly episode are being followed by none other than Mr Narendra Modi himself. This worries me,” Raj said at the 11th state meet of the Left-leaning Democratic Youth Federation of India, Deccan Chronicle reported. Raj added that his expertise in the acting helps him to figure out when someone is acting. "I am a renowned actor, do you (Modi) think I will not be able to detect when you are acting. At least show me some respect, considering the fact that I am an actor and I will be able to tell what is the truth and what is acting," he said, according to a report in News Minute. As some misquoted the actor, claiming he wanted to return the National Award, Raj later clarified on his Twitter handle that he does not intend to return his national awards as the award represents his hard work and achievements. “I am not a fool to give back my National Awards, which have been given to me for my body of work, and which I’m very proud of,” he said. “But yes, coming to the point, I would like to own up to certain things.” “We don’t know who has killed them, but we do know who is celebrating,” he said, “and I am pained, I am taken aback by the celebrations of an inhuman killing, and for the very fact that I have vented out my pain and my anguish towards those people who are celebrating, I have been trolled.” What's said...n what's not said. For all out there .. thank you pic.twitter.com/zIT7rnkFxb — Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) October 2, 2017 × “Some of these people who celebrated her (Gauri’s) murder are followed by our Prime Minister on Twitter. We have a PM who shuts his eyes to this,” he said. “But if such people are being followed by the Prime Minister, and Prime Minister is not taking a stand on them and not commenting on them, as a citizen of this country, I am disturbed, hurt and afraid by the silence of the Prime Minister,” he explained. “I am talking to my Prime Minister, and I say your silence is chilling,” he added, “and I have a right to say this.” He had earlier at the state meet said the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, is a better actor than him. “Gauri’s killers have not been caught yet. But what is more disappointing is people celebrating her murder over social media spreading hatred,” Raj said. “When you look at the kind of statements he (Adityanath) makes, you don’t understand whether he’s a Chief Minister or a priest. He (Adityanath) is a better actor than me. I think I must give out all my five national awards to him.” Muneer Katipalla, the state president of DYFI also provided a clarification over Raj's earlier statements, saying, “It was only a satirical comment that Prakash Raj made referring to how Adityanath was trying to act like a Chief Minister.” In 2015, several filmmakers, including Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan, returned their national award to protest against the "growing intolerance in the country".

'PM Modi better actor than me,' says actor Prakash Raj

<p>October 2nd calls for the usual reflections on Mahatma Gandhi and his legacy. But in times when the remembrance of Gandhi has become largely ritualistic and empty of meaning, and our path diverges even more from his vision of a just, non-violent economy, it is worth remembering another person, Shankar Guha Niyogi,&nbsp; who embodied Gandhi&rsquo;s spirit, even though he was a Marxist himself.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week marked the 26th death anniversary of Shankar Guha Niyogi. On September 28, 1991, Niyogi, leader of the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM) and the Chhatisgarh Mines Shramik Sangh (CMSS) was shot dead in his sleep. With the recent assassination of Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, the public discourse around political assassinations has once again come alive. And the spate of recent murders, including those of Govind Pansare, M.M. Kalburgi, and Narendra Dabholkar clearly shows the threat that such committed vernacular intellectuals and activists pose to those who want to forcibly impose their own idea of India on everyone else. Remembering Niyogi then also serves to remember our long history of assassinations.</p>

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<h5>It is worth remembering another person, Shankar Guha Niyogi,&nbsp; who embodied Gandhi&rsquo;s spirit, even though he was a Marxist himself.&nbsp;</h5>
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<p>Coming from a working-class background, Niyogi moved from his native Bengal to work in the Bhilai Steel Plant in the late 1960s, but his union organising activities soon got him fired. After spending a few years working underground, organising Adivasis, and traveling all over the state of Chhattisgarh, Niyogi finally made the Bhilai region his home. He led the mine workers and other industrial workers of the Bhilai region for nearly 14 years until his death at the age of 48. In the process, he along with the workers built a unique trade union movement that went far beyond the usual scope of union politics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While it was widely suspected that some major industrialists of Bhilai were behind his murder, the case resulted in only one conviction, that of the hired assassin. And this too fourteen years after the murder, in 2005. Those behind the murder got away.</p>

<p>Ramchandra Guha once remarked that every thinking Indian had a Gandhian and a Marxist inside, struggling for supremacy. This certainly seems true of Shankar Guha Niyogi. Niyogi did not describe himself as a Gandhian, and remained close to communist politics all his life. But his practice reveals a creative mind at work that Gandhi would have been proud of. Satyagraha and Sarvodaya found their echoes in Niyogi&rsquo;s &#39;sangharsh&#39; and &#39;nirman&#39;, the struggle for the creation and the creation for struggle, as he called it.</p>

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<h5>Satyagraha and Sarvodaya found their echoes in Niyogi&rsquo;s &#39;sangharsh&#39; and &#39;nirman&#39;, the struggle for the creation and the creation for struggle, as he called it.</h5>
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<p>Even as he fought for the mine workers&rsquo; rights, wages, working conditions, and other bread-and-butter trade union issues, Niyogi wrote with great feeling about the degradation and despoilation of the air, the water and the forests in the mining areas. Under his leadership, the CMM and the CMSS treated environmental issues as central to their programme and not as an afterthought. The rights of forest dwellers over their own produce, for example, formed an important part of the movement. This is an early example of what later came to be called a &ldquo;red-green&rdquo; movement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Niyogi embraced the ethos of Sunderlal Bahuguna&rsquo;s Chipko movement and called it a &#39;revolutionary movement&#39;. He invoked the spirit of the American Indians in his writings on the environment. CMSS also supported the movement against the Narmada dams and showed the hypocrisy of officials who treated Adivasis as the principal threat to forest ecosystems while selling the forest to saw-mill owners. The union fought against monoculture planting of Eucalyptus and Pine trees for wood, and for the conservation of biodiversity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Let us take a moment here to realise the significance of an environmental conservation movement that is not based on the urban upper-middle class but, rather, operates with workers, peasants, and Adivasis, who constitute the majority of society.</p>

<p>The movement was born from the recognition that the communities which lived close to nature could be trusted to use it sustainably and had a lot to teach everyone on sustainable use. A centrepiece of the struggle was the &#39;Know Your Jungle&#39; campaign that was built on the understanding that intimacy with the forest created a love for it. This type of thinking is what we find in Gandhi and in other creative Gandhians, such as J.C. Kumarappa, who were proponents of the local economy.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>India&rsquo;s modern environmental movement owes a lot to Gandhi, and Niyogi is a prominent thinker in this tradition.</h5>
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<p>India&rsquo;s modern environmental movement owes a lot to Gandhi, and Niyogi is a prominent thinker in this tradition. But Niyogi combines it very effectively with a consciousness of the environment born out of daily struggles of not only Adivasis and peasants but also industrial workers.</p>

<p>Environmental, social, and economic concerns are thoroughly interwoven in Gandhi and so they were in Niyogi also. A particularly novel idea one finds in Niyogi&rsquo;s writing is that of an &#39;environment station&#39; (pariyavaran thana). &ldquo;Just as there are police stations (thanas) everywhere, there should be &lsquo;environment stations,&rsquo; he wrote. These would employ local people who are well-versed about the local ecology and its problems. Thus, in one go, such a step helps in creating employment as well as a new consciousness about nature. Sadly, this idea has received hardly any attention, even in social movements.</p>

<p>The Chhattisgarh movement took an all-round approach to workers&rsquo; lives, intervening as frequently in areas of health, education, alcoholism, and gambling as in areas of regularisation of contract labour and minimum wages. For example, Shaheed Hospital set up by the CMSS still operates in the region and the noted activist Dr. Binayak Sen, who came to Chhattisgarh inspired by Niyogi, used to practice there. And it is worth noting, at the time when the contract labour system has become the norm across all industries, one of Niyogi&rsquo;s key struggles was against the contract labour system in the industrial plants of Durg-Bhilai.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another, particularly interesting aspect of the CMM was its engagement with local history. For example, the celebration of local martyrs whom the predominantly Adivasi workforce could relate to and, thereby, find their own histories of struggle. Tribal freedom fighters, such as Vir Nayaran Singh who was executed by the British in 1857 became focal points of the new struggle.</p>

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<h5>The demand for preferential employment to people from the Lohar community in the steel plant is an excellent example of thinking that updates Gandhian ideas.</h5>
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<p>The charter of demands from a large peasant-workers rally from October 1980 illustrates the innovative thinking behind the CMM. These included diversion of waters going to Bhilai Steel Plant to farmers during the drought year, higher prices of output for farmers and lower prices for consumers, a halt to mechanisation of iron ore mines, jute mills and cotton mills of the area, construction of small dams and repair of ponds, making local languages, such as Gondi and Chhatisgahi the medium of instruction in primary schools, a ban on commercial sawmills in the vicinity of forests, preferential employment for people from the Lohar (ironsmith) community in the Bhilai Steel Plant, expansion of cottage and handicraft industries, and one Industrial Training Institute in each kasbah.</p>

<p>Notice how a Gandhian spirit suffuses many of the demands; preference to farmers over the industry, fight against mechanisation intended purely for profit, appropriate technology such as small dams, emphasis on local languages, and support for handicraft industries. The demand for preferential employment to people from the Lohar community in the steel plant is an excellent example of thinking that updates Gandhian ideas. In it is the recognition, that was Gandhi&rsquo;s main insight, that India&rsquo;s artisanal communities have nurtured a vast store of useful knowledge that can be harnessed for everyone&rsquo;s welfare.</p>

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<h5>All this is not to say that Niyogi was a &#39;Gandhian&#39;. Indeed, like most creative thinkers he easily transcended such labels.</h5>
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<p>All this is not to say that Niyogi was a &#39;Gandhian&#39;. Indeed, like most creative thinkers he easily transcended such labels, taking whatever was useful from wherever he could and discarding the rest. The point is to remember a committed, patriotic Indian who lived Gandhi&rsquo;s spirit and tried to create a new vision for India. Even now, in the new neoliberal India, most of what Niyogi fought for remains relevant, perhaps is even more relevant. Ever faster rates of economic growth are creating an increasing rate of stress on our natural ecosystem. To make matters worse, the fruits of this destructive growth are very unevenly distributed. A dangerous cocktail of jobless growth and degrading ecosystems brews in our society.</p>

<p>While the immediate reasons for his assassination may have been different from those of Gauri Lankesh, Kalburgi, Pansare, Dabholkar, or even Gandhi, all these murders demonstrate the danger that dedicated, committed individuals who speak, write and act truth to power in the languages of the common people pose to our ever more entrenched power structures. It is imperative that their memories be kept alive.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Given Shankar Guha Niyogi&rsquo;s stature and influence (hundreds and thousands of workers struck work and showed up at his funeral), it is noteworthy that there is not a single authoritative book from a major publishing house on his life and work. Some of his writings and essay on him are available <a href="http://sanhati.com/shankar-guha-niyogi-archives/">here</a>. And Ilina Sen&rsquo;s memoir, Inside Chhattisgarh, talks about the activities of CMM and CMSS. An account of his life and work is highly desirable in these times.</p>


Environmental, social, and economic concerns are thoroughly interwoven in Gandhi and so they were in Niyogi. He led the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha and the Chhatisgarh Mines Shramik Sangh, and was shot dead in his sleep.

October 2nd calls for the usual reflections on Mahatma Gandhi and his legacy. But in times when the remembrance of Gandhi has become largely ritualistic and empty of meaning, and our path diverges even more from his vision of a just, non-violent economy, it is worth remembering another person, Shankar Guha Niyogi, who embodied Gandhi’s spirit, even though he was a Marxist himself. Last week marked the 26th death anniversary of Shankar Guha Niyogi. On September 28, 1991, Niyogi, leader of the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM) and the Chhatisgarh Mines Shramik Sangh (CMSS) was shot dead in his sleep. With the recent assassination of Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, the public discourse around political assassinations has once again come alive. And the spate of recent murders, including those of Govind Pansare, M.M. Kalburgi, and Narendra Dabholkar clearly shows the threat that such committed vernacular intellectuals and activists pose to those who want to forcibly impose their own idea of India on everyone else. Remembering Niyogi then also serves to remember our long history of assassinations. It is worth remembering another person, Shankar Guha Niyogi, who embodied Gandhi’s spirit, even though he was a Marxist himself. × Coming from a working-class background, Niyogi moved from his native Bengal to work in the Bhilai Steel Plant in the late 1960s, but his union organising activities soon got him fired. After spending a few years working underground, organising Adivasis, and traveling all over the state of Chhattisgarh, Niyogi finally made the Bhilai region his home. He led the mine workers and other industrial workers of the Bhilai region for nearly 14 years until his death at the age of 48. In the process, he along with the workers built a unique trade union movement that went far beyond the usual scope of union politics. While it was widely suspected that some major industrialists of Bhilai were behind his murder, the case resulted in only one conviction, that of the hired assassin. And this too fourteen years after the murder, in 2005. Those behind the murder got away. Ramchandra Guha once remarked that every thinking Indian had a Gandhian and a Marxist inside, struggling for supremacy. This certainly seems true of Shankar Guha Niyogi. Niyogi did not describe himself as a Gandhian, and remained close to communist politics all his life. But his practice reveals a creative mind at work that Gandhi would have been proud of. Satyagraha and Sarvodaya found their echoes in Niyogi’s 'sangharsh' and 'nirman', the struggle for the creation and the creation for struggle, as he called it. Satyagraha and Sarvodaya found their echoes in Niyogi’s 'sangharsh' and 'nirman', the struggle for the creation and the creation for struggle, as he called it. × Even as he fought for the mine workers’ rights, wages, working conditions, and other bread-and-butter trade union issues, Niyogi wrote with great feeling about the degradation and despoilation of the air, the water and the forests in the mining areas. Under his leadership, the CMM and the CMSS treated environmental issues as central to their programme and not as an afterthought. The rights of forest dwellers over their own produce, for example, formed an important part of the movement. This is an early example of what later came to be called a “red-green” movement. Niyogi embraced the ethos of Sunderlal Bahuguna’s Chipko movement and called it a 'revolutionary movement'. He invoked the spirit of the American Indians in his writings on the environment. CMSS also supported the movement against the Narmada dams and showed the hypocrisy of officials who treated Adivasis as the principal threat to forest ecosystems while selling the forest to saw-mill owners. The union fought against monoculture planting of Eucalyptus and Pine trees for wood, and for the conservation of biodiversity. Let us take a moment here to realise the significance of an environmental conservation movement that is not based on the urban upper-middle class but, rather, operates with workers, peasants, and Adivasis, who constitute the majority of society. The movement was born from the recognition that the communities which lived close to nature could be trusted to use it sustainably and had a lot to teach everyone on sustainable use. A centrepiece of the struggle was the 'Know Your Jungle' campaign that was built on the understanding that intimacy with the forest created a love for it. This type of thinking is what we find in Gandhi and in other creative Gandhians, such as J.C. Kumarappa, who were proponents of the local economy. India’s modern environmental movement owes a lot to Gandhi, and Niyogi is a prominent thinker in this tradition. × India’s modern environmental movement owes a lot to Gandhi, and Niyogi is a prominent thinker in this tradition. But Niyogi combines it very effectively with a consciousness of the environment born out of daily struggles of not only Adivasis and peasants but also industrial workers. Environmental, social, and economic concerns are thoroughly interwoven in Gandhi and so they were in Niyogi also. A particularly novel idea one finds in Niyogi’s writing is that of an 'environment station' (pariyavaran thana). “Just as there are police stations (thanas) everywhere, there should be ‘environment stations,’ he wrote. These would employ local people who are well-versed about the local ecology and its problems. Thus, in one go, such a step helps in creating employment as well as a new consciousness about nature. Sadly, this idea has received hardly any attention, even in social movements. The Chhattisgarh movement took an all-round approach to workers’ lives, intervening as frequently in areas of health, education, alcoholism, and gambling as in areas of regularisation of contract labour and minimum wages. For example, Shaheed Hospital set up by the CMSS still operates in the region and the noted activist Dr. Binayak Sen, who came to Chhattisgarh inspired by Niyogi, used to practice there. And it is worth noting, at the time when the contract labour system has become the norm across all industries, one of Niyogi’s key struggles was against the contract labour system in the industrial plants of Durg-Bhilai. Another, particularly interesting aspect of the CMM was its engagement with local history. For example, the celebration of local martyrs whom the predominantly Adivasi workforce could relate to and, thereby, find their own histories of struggle. Tribal freedom fighters, such as Vir Nayaran Singh who was executed by the British in 1857 became focal points of the new struggle. The demand for preferential employment to people from the Lohar community in the steel plant is an excellent example of thinking that updates Gandhian ideas. × The charter of demands from a large peasant-workers rally from October 1980 illustrates the innovative thinking behind the CMM. These included diversion of waters going to Bhilai Steel Plant to farmers during the drought year, higher prices of output for farmers and lower prices for consumers, a halt to mechanisation of iron ore mines, jute mills and cotton mills of the area, construction of small dams and repair of ponds, making local languages, such as Gondi and Chhatisgahi the medium of instruction in primary schools, a ban on commercial sawmills in the vicinity of forests, preferential employment for people from the Lohar (ironsmith) community in the Bhilai Steel Plant, expansion of cottage and handicraft industries, and one Industrial Training Institute in each kasbah. Notice how a Gandhian spirit suffuses many of the demands; preference to farmers over the industry, fight against mechanisation intended purely for profit, appropriate technology such as small dams, emphasis on local languages, and support for handicraft industries. The demand for preferential employment to people from the Lohar community in the steel plant is an excellent example of thinking that updates Gandhian ideas. In it is the recognition, that was Gandhi’s main insight, that India’s artisanal communities have nurtured a vast store of useful knowledge that can be harnessed for everyone’s welfare. All this is not to say that Niyogi was a 'Gandhian'. Indeed, like most creative thinkers he easily transcended such labels. × All this is not to say that Niyogi was a 'Gandhian'. Indeed, like most creative thinkers he easily transcended such labels, taking whatever was useful from wherever he could and discarding the rest. The point is to remember a committed, patriotic Indian who lived Gandhi’s spirit and tried to create a new vision for India. Even now, in the new neoliberal India, most of what Niyogi fought for remains relevant, perhaps is even more relevant. Ever faster rates of economic growth are creating an increasing rate of stress on our natural ecosystem. To make matters worse, the fruits of this destructive growth are very unevenly distributed. A dangerous cocktail of jobless growth and degrading ecosystems brews in our society. While the immediate reasons for his assassination may have been different from those of Gauri Lankesh, Kalburgi, Pansare, Dabholkar, or even Gandhi, all these murders demonstrate the danger that dedicated, committed individuals who speak, write and act truth to power in the languages of the common people pose to our ever more entrenched power structures. It is imperative that their memories be kept alive. Given Shankar Guha Niyogi’s stature and influence (hundreds and thousands of workers struck work and showed up at his funeral), it is noteworthy that there is not a single authoritative book from a major publishing house on his life and work. Some of his writings and essay on him are available here. And Ilina Sen’s memoir, Inside Chhattisgarh, talks about the activities of CMM and CMSS. An account of his life and work is highly desirable in these times.

A different Gandhian legacy: Shankar Guha Niyogi

<p>The historian Ramachandra Guha has been served a legal notice by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the BJP&#39;s youth wing, the Economic Times reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ET reported that the notice was served on Guha for referring to the &quot;Sangh Parivar&quot; while condemning the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Guha had said to Scroll.in -- a day after Gauri Lankesh&#39;s murder -- that &quot;&ldquo;It is very likely that her murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi came.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The five-page legal notice, the ET reported, was issued on behalf of Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha secretary Karunakar Khasale.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The notice says &quot;defamatory, baseless and false allegations&quot; were made by Guha.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ET reported that the notice calls on Guha to apologise categorically and publicly, and to communicate the apology directly to Khasale and the BJP Yuva Morcha within three days, or civil and criminal defamation cases will be filed against him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ET report said Guha could not be contacted since he was overseas but that a little later, he tweeted:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the answer to a book or article can only be another book or article. But we no longer live in Vajpayee&#39;s India</p>
&mdash; Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ram_Guha/status/907231613150531584">September 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In India today, independent writers and journalists are harassed, persecuted, and even killed. But we shall not be silenced.</p>
&mdash; Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ram_Guha/status/907233928817336321">September 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Guha was served the notice because he referred to the 'Sangh Parivar' while condemning the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh

The historian Ramachandra Guha has been served a legal notice by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the BJP's youth wing, the Economic Times reported. The ET reported that the notice was served on Guha for referring to the "Sangh Parivar" while condemning the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh. Guha had said to Scroll.in -- a day after Gauri Lankesh's murder -- that "“It is very likely that her murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi came.” The five-page legal notice, the ET reported, was issued on behalf of Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha secretary Karunakar Khasale. The notice says "defamatory, baseless and false allegations" were made by Guha. The ET reported that the notice calls on Guha to apologise categorically and publicly, and to communicate the apology directly to Khasale and the BJP Yuva Morcha within three days, or civil and criminal defamation cases will be filed against him. The ET report said Guha could not be contacted since he was overseas but that a little later, he tweeted: Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the answer to a book or article can only be another book or article. But we no longer live in Vajpayee's India — Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) September 11, 2017 × In India today, independent writers and journalists are harassed, persecuted, and even killed. But we shall not be silenced. — Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) September 11, 2017 ×

Historian Ramachandra Guha served legal notice by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha

<p>The Special Investigation Team formed to investigate the killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh has asked the public for help.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lankesh was murdered in her Bengaluru home by two&nbsp;motorcycle-borne on Tuesday evening.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Bengaluru Police put out a phone number and email on Friday, asking the general public for any information they might have on the killing. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">General public is requested , any information on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> killers. Public can call or email @ 09480800202, sit.glankesh@ksp.gov.in <a href="https://t.co/O7HLcGgzgp">pic.twitter.com/O7HLcGgzgp</a></p>
&mdash; BengaluruCityPolice (@BlrCityPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlrCityPolice/status/905817102925185025">September 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The 21-member SIT headed by an IG of police started investigating Lankesh&#39;s murder on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first thing they did was pore over CCTV footgate from the scene of the murder.</p>

<p>Lankesh&#39;s brother Indrajit had told the police that the murder had been captured on CCTV, and had asked police to view the CCTV footage in front of him and their mother.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News reports said Public TV, a private Bengaluru-based, was reporting that CCTV footage had revealed the facial features of Gauri&#39;s executioner.</p>

<p>The footage was captured by a CCTV camera&nbsp;near a park, which the killer had crossed after killing Gauri. &nbsp;</p>

<p>News reports had said the murderer was wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time of the killing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But reports quoting Public TV said the killer had removed his helmet near the park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The killer had been moving towards his motorcycle at the time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the reports said the motorcycle&#39;s number plate was not clear in the CCTV footage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lankesh used to edit the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The general consensus is that she was murdered for her views.&nbsp;</p>


The Bengaluru Police put out a phone number and email on Friday, asking the general public for any information they might have on the killing

The Special Investigation Team formed to investigate the killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh has asked the public for help. Lankesh was murdered in her Bengaluru home by two motorcycle-borne on Tuesday evening. The Bengaluru Police put out a phone number and email on Friday, asking the general public for any information they might have on the killing. General public is requested , any information on #GauriLankesh killers. Public can call or email @ 09480800202, sit.glankesh@ksp.gov.in pic.twitter.com/O7HLcGgzgp — BengaluruCityPolice (@BlrCityPolice) September 7, 2017 × The 21-member SIT headed by an IG of police started investigating Lankesh's murder on Thursday. The first thing they did was pore over CCTV footgate from the scene of the murder. Lankesh's brother Indrajit had told the police that the murder had been captured on CCTV, and had asked police to view the CCTV footage in front of him and their mother. News reports said Public TV, a private Bengaluru-based, was reporting that CCTV footage had revealed the facial features of Gauri's executioner. The footage was captured by a CCTV camera near a park, which the killer had crossed after killing Gauri. News reports had said the murderer was wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time of the killing. But reports quoting Public TV said the killer had removed his helmet near the park. The killer had been moving towards his motorcycle at the time. But the reports said the motorcycle's number plate was not clear in the CCTV footage. Lankesh used to edit the anti-establishment Gauri Lankesh Patrike. The general consensus is that she was murdered for her views.

Gauri Lankesh killing: SIT asks public for help

<p>The official twitter handle of BJP on Thursday said the controversies going over PM Narendra Modi as &#39;mischievous and contorted.&#39; The controversies started when people found that PM Modi is following trollers, who expressed their happiness over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/senior-journalist-gauri-lankesh-shot-dead-in-her-bengaluru-home-19910">the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh.</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The statement released on BJP twitter handle was by Amit Malviya, the National head of Information and Technology.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Prahlad Joshi, BJP MP from Dharwad, gets Gouri Lankesh convicted in a defamation case. <a href="https://t.co/6DQTYDY1rO">https://t.co/6DQTYDY1rO</a> Hope other journos take note.</p>
&mdash; Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) <a href="https://twitter.com/malviyamit/status/803550880754647040">November 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>It stated that &quot;PM Modi uses the platform to engage with normal people and that he is a rare leader who truly believes in freedom of speech and has never blocked and unfollowed anyone.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Firing at opposition, the statement further added, &ldquo;PM also follows Rahul Gandhi, who is accused in loot and fraud. PM also follows&nbsp;Arvind Kejriwal, who abused him on Twitter and told a woman &lsquo;settle kar lo&rsquo; when she complained a party member molesting her.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The controversy over PM following people on Twitter is mischievous and contorted: Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/malviyamit">@malviyamit</a>, National Head - Information &amp; Technology <a href="https://t.co/8Ss6fgCOj2">pic.twitter.com/8Ss6fgCOj2</a></p>
&mdash; BJP (@BJP4India) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/905783829029306368">September 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>After the post by Amit Malviya on BJP twitter handle, people condemned that also, saying it graceless and shameful. The co-founder of Alt news, Pratik Siha said replying to the statement, &quot;Where @malviyamit lies about PM not unfollowing anyone coz he did unfollow @DrJwalaG after she accused @TajinderBagga of unethical behaviour.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister has been facing strong criticism from many people for following trolls through his personal account. Many twitteraties decided to block PM Modi&#39;s account.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today, on Twitter, hashtag #BlockNarendraModi trended, as many users decided and came together to block the personal account of PM Narendra Modi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Though, after the heinous trolls about Gauri Lankesh, Information and Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also slammed them expressing strong condemnation.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I strongly condemn &amp; deplore the messages on social media expressing happiness on the dastardly murder of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaurilankesh?src=hash">#Gaurilankesh</a>.</p>
&mdash; Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/rsprasad/status/905448758544023553">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Expressing happiness on the killing of anyone is shameful, regrettable and totally against Indian traditions. Social media is not for that.</p>
&mdash; Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/rsprasad/status/905449116888514560">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Amit Malviya said in a statement that PM Modi never blocks and unfollow anyone

The official twitter handle of BJP on Thursday said the controversies going over PM Narendra Modi as 'mischievous and contorted.' The controversies started when people found that PM Modi is following trollers, who expressed their happiness over the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh. The statement released on BJP twitter handle was by Amit Malviya, the National head of Information and Technology. Prahlad Joshi, BJP MP from Dharwad, gets Gouri Lankesh convicted in a defamation case. https://t.co/6DQTYDY1rO Hope other journos take note. — Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) November 29, 2016 × It stated that "PM Modi uses the platform to engage with normal people and that he is a rare leader who truly believes in freedom of speech and has never blocked and unfollowed anyone." Firing at opposition, the statement further added, “PM also follows Rahul Gandhi, who is accused in loot and fraud. PM also follows Arvind Kejriwal, who abused him on Twitter and told a woman ‘settle kar lo’ when she complained a party member molesting her.” The controversy over PM following people on Twitter is mischievous and contorted: Shri @malviyamit, National Head - Information & Technology pic.twitter.com/8Ss6fgCOj2 — BJP (@BJP4India) September 7, 2017 × After the post by Amit Malviya on BJP twitter handle, people condemned that also, saying it graceless and shameful. The co-founder of Alt news, Pratik Siha said replying to the statement, "Where @malviyamit lies about PM not unfollowing anyone coz he did unfollow @DrJwalaG after she accused @TajinderBagga of unethical behaviour.” Prime Minister has been facing strong criticism from many people for following trolls through his personal account. Many twitteraties decided to block PM Modi's account. Today, on Twitter, hashtag #BlockNarendraModi trended, as many users decided and came together to block the personal account of PM Narendra Modi. Though, after the heinous trolls about Gauri Lankesh, Information and Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also slammed them expressing strong condemnation. I strongly condemn & deplore the messages on social media expressing happiness on the dastardly murder of #Gaurilankesh. — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 6, 2017 × Expressing happiness on the killing of anyone is shameful, regrettable and totally against Indian traditions. Social media is not for that. — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 6, 2017 ×

'Mischievous and contorted', says BJP, after controversies over PM Narendra Modi

<p>The murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh at her home in Bengaluru Tuesday evening has shocked the nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News reports said protests had broken out in Bengaluru, and across Karnataka and the country.</p>

<p>Even as the protests raged, Lankesh was laid to rest.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Bengaluru: Mortal remains of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> brought to Ravindra Kala Kshethra <a href="https://t.co/qnyYglKuqb">pic.twitter.com/qnyYglKuqb</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905333537670275073">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bengaluru: Family members &amp; friends gather as mortal remains of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> were brought to Ravindra Kala Kshethra. <a href="https://t.co/WYzFJKIXvv">pic.twitter.com/WYzFJKIXvv</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905339822235049984">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah pays tribute to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> in Bengaluru&#39;s Chamrajpet <a href="https://t.co/ZjWeZV52jR">pic.twitter.com/ZjWeZV52jR</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905385672906743809">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">I condemn the killing of journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GaurilLankesh?src=hash">#GaurilLankesh</a>: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata <a href="https://t.co/2dbhNbwOTi">pic.twitter.com/2dbhNbwOTi</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905344721278558210">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Karnataka: Protest at Town Hall in Bengaluru against killing of senior journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/MrE0POZvBw">pic.twitter.com/MrE0POZvBw</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905302308711534592">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Social media too was flooded with commiseration over her death.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Protest meeting at Press Club of India, Delhi,3pm today against killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. Do join- PCI,IWPC,Editors Guild</p>
&mdash; Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) <a href="https://twitter.com/suhasinih/status/905298319714516992">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">At the protest meeting for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankeshMurder?src=hash">#GauriLankeshMurder</a> in Delhi. let us stand as one. Silence is complicty. <a href="https://t.co/LwRaxE1xWj">pic.twitter.com/LwRaxE1xWj</a></p>
&mdash; barkha dutt (@BDUTT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BDUTT/status/905368107593723904">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>And what it might mean for the nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gauri Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Lankesh Patrike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The general consensus seems to be that she was murdered for her views.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gauri?src=hash">#Gauri</a> Lankesh shot dead outside her home.Shocking Devastating. Dabholkar Pansare Kalburgi Culprits must be punished</p>
&mdash; Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) <a href="https://twitter.com/AzmiShabana/status/905110881469480961">September 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">No point saying go to Pakistan to anyone anymore, They&#39;ll get the experience here itself... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankeshMurder?src=hash">#GauriLankeshMurder</a></p>
&mdash; Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) <a href="https://twitter.com/kunalkamra88/status/905304859792072704">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">You are not dead. We are not afraid. This strengthens our resolve to fight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> was a strong supporter of students&#39; movement.</p>
&mdash; Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shehla_Rashid/status/905125907097985026">September 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In India we bow to frauds like Ram Rahim and kill men and women of reason &amp; inquiry like Pansare, Dabholkar, Kalburgi &amp; now <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gaurilankesh?src=hash">#gaurilankesh</a></p>
&mdash; barkha dutt (@BDUTT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BDUTT/status/905117808576606212">September 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Editors&#39; Guild of India put out a statement condemning the killing. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Editors Guild on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankeshMurder?src=hash">#GauriLankeshMurder</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/htTweets">@htTweets</a> <a href="https://t.co/2k1Alxgfwq">pic.twitter.com/2k1Alxgfwq</a></p>
&mdash; Smriti Kak (@smritikak) <a href="https://twitter.com/smritikak/status/905304031765172224">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Her killing is an ominous portent for dissent in democracy&amp; brutal assault on freedom of the press: Editor&#39;s Guild of India <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905315850185351168">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Let the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankeshMurder?src=hash">#GauriLankeshMurder</a> be a reminder that all of us need to intensify our fight against fascism; that we will NOT be silenced.</p>
&mdash; Prerna Bakshi (@bprerna) <a href="https://twitter.com/bprerna/status/905375809422082049">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>But as always on social media, there were people on the other side of the divide too.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why everyone is talking abt <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankeshMurder?src=hash">#GauriLankeshMurder</a><br />
Here is list of RSS/BJP Activist who got murderd in Karnataka &amp; no one tweeted a single word <a href="https://t.co/XGvcJ4k1ZJ">pic.twitter.com/XGvcJ4k1ZJ</a></p>
&mdash; Republic Of India (@RepubIicofIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepubIicofIndia/status/905306282399322116">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sanghi troll justifies <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankeshMurder?src=hash">#GauriLankeshMurder</a>; calls for killing Arundhati, <a href="https://twitter.com/sagarikaghose">@sagarikaghose</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kavita_krishnan">@kavita_krishnan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/UmarKhalidJNU">@UmarKhalidJNU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kanhaiyajnusu">@kanhaiyajnusu</a> &amp; me <a href="https://t.co/iucFcCLlJd">pic.twitter.com/iucFcCLlJd</a></p>
&mdash; Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shehla_Rashid/status/905229398151905281">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Right wing user posts hitlist online, calls for serial assassinations, calls Gauri Lankesh murder a warning to &#39;anti nationals&#39; <a href="https://t.co/60NKlKwxkr">pic.twitter.com/60NKlKwxkr</a></p>
&mdash; Hindutva Watch (@SaffronWatch) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaffronWatch/status/905275019512750081">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said the authorities were questioning the people who had posted against Lankesh. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">2 people posted something on Facebook (against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a>) and we are questioning them: Karnataka CM</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905325090950098944">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Lankesh was murdered in her Bengaluru home on Tuesday evening

The murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh at her home in Bengaluru Tuesday evening has shocked the nation. News reports said protests had broken out in Bengaluru, and across Karnataka and the country. Even as the protests raged, Lankesh was laid to rest. Bengaluru: Mortal remains of #GauriLankesh brought to Ravindra Kala Kshethra pic.twitter.com/qnyYglKuqb — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × Bengaluru: Family members & friends gather as mortal remains of #GauriLankesh were brought to Ravindra Kala Kshethra. pic.twitter.com/WYzFJKIXvv — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah pays tribute to #GauriLankesh in Bengaluru's Chamrajpet pic.twitter.com/ZjWeZV52jR — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × I condemn the killing of journalist #GaurilLankesh: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/2dbhNbwOTi — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × Karnataka: Protest at Town Hall in Bengaluru against killing of senior journalist #GauriLankesh pic.twitter.com/MrE0POZvBw — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × Social media too was flooded with commiseration over her death. Protest meeting at Press Club of India, Delhi,3pm today against killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. Do join- PCI,IWPC,Editors Guild — Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) September 6, 2017 × At the protest meeting for #GauriLankeshMurder in Delhi. let us stand as one. Silence is complicty. pic.twitter.com/LwRaxE1xWj — barkha dutt (@BDUTT) September 6, 2017 × And what it might mean for the nation. Gauri Lankesh edited the anti-establishment Lankesh Patrike. The general consensus seems to be that she was murdered for her views. #Gauri Lankesh shot dead outside her home.Shocking Devastating. Dabholkar Pansare Kalburgi Culprits must be punished — Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) September 5, 2017 × No point saying go to Pakistan to anyone anymore, They'll get the experience here itself... #GauriLankeshMurder — Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) September 6, 2017 × You are not dead. We are not afraid. This strengthens our resolve to fight. #GauriLankesh was a strong supporter of students' movement. — Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) September 5, 2017 × In India we bow to frauds like Ram Rahim and kill men and women of reason & inquiry like Pansare, Dabholkar, Kalburgi & now #gaurilankesh — barkha dutt (@BDUTT) September 5, 2017 × The Editors' Guild of India put out a statement condemning the killing. Editors Guild on #GauriLankeshMurder @htTweets pic.twitter.com/2k1Alxgfwq — Smriti Kak (@smritikak) September 6, 2017 × Her killing is an ominous portent for dissent in democracy& brutal assault on freedom of the press: Editor's Guild of India #GauriLankesh — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × Let the #GauriLankeshMurder be a reminder that all of us need to intensify our fight against fascism; that we will NOT be silenced. — Prerna Bakshi (@bprerna) September 6, 2017 × But as always on social media, there were people on the other side of the divide too. Why everyone is talking abt #GauriLankeshMurder Here is list of RSS/BJP Activist who got murderd in Karnataka & no one tweeted a single word pic.twitter.com/XGvcJ4k1ZJ — Republic Of India (@RepubIicofIndia) September 6, 2017 × Sanghi troll justifies #GauriLankeshMurder; calls for killing Arundhati, @sagarikaghose @kavita_krishnan @UmarKhalidJNU @kanhaiyajnusu & me pic.twitter.com/iucFcCLlJd — Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) September 6, 2017 × Right wing user posts hitlist online, calls for serial assassinations, calls Gauri Lankesh murder a warning to 'anti nationals' pic.twitter.com/60NKlKwxkr — Hindutva Watch (@SaffronWatch) September 6, 2017 × Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said the authorities were questioning the people who had posted against Lankesh. 2 people posted something on Facebook (against #GauriLankesh) and we are questioning them: Karnataka CM — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 ×

Protests, rage across country as Gauri Lankesh is laid to rest

<p>Gauri Lankesh was shot in the chest, her brother has said.</p>

<p>Indrajit Lankesh added that the shooting was captured on CCTV.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that he had requested police to view the the CCTV&nbsp;footage in front of him and his mother.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And that the family wanted a CBI probe into the killing of Gauri Lankesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Karnataka Police meanwhile have formed a SIT (special investigation team) to look into the murder.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">She was shot in her chest. CCTV captured everything. Requested Police to open it in front of me &amp; my mother-Indrajit <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a>&#39;s brother</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905303412744572933">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">She was an activist, she was doing her job, there were no threats as of now as far as we know: Indrajit Lankesh, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a>&#39;s brother <a href="https://t.co/zZa8h8mZBT">pic.twitter.com/zZa8h8mZBT</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905303158485811201">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He added that there were no threats to Gauri&#39;s life.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/protests-rage-across-country-as-gauri-lankesh-is-laid-to-rest-19932" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Protests, rage across country as Gauri Lankesh is laid to rest</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Request CBI probe. We&#39;ve seen Kalburgi issue that state investigated &amp; with sadness I say they&#39;ve not done anything: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a>&#39;s brother <a href="https://t.co/YaVVFzREZb">pic.twitter.com/YaVVFzREZb</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905305580536922112">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Karnataka chief minister Siddaramiah said he had left the decision on whether there would be a CBI probe or not to the Karnataka police chief.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Left it to DGP who will speak to Home Minister and decide on it: Karnataka CM on question of handing over case to CBI <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/WpGaSod7iE">pic.twitter.com/WpGaSod7iE</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905324050897027073">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He added that he had instructed police that activists propagating progressive thoughts should be given police protection.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Instructed Police that activists propagating progressive thoughts should be given Police protection: Karnataka CM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/bphWl8KecQ">pic.twitter.com/bphWl8KecQ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905323679143182336">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He said Gauri had met him recently but had not mentioned any threats to her. &nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that similar weapons had been used in the Kalburgi, Pansare, and Dabholkar killings, but that it was too soon to link Gauri&#39;s murder to theirs.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Similar weapons used in Kalburgi, Pansare &amp; Dabholkar killings, in this case we don&#39;t know yet so can&#39;t draw link-Karnataka CM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905323432409042944">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He said he had instructed police that the &quot;case must be taken seriously&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Instructed case must be taken seriously &amp; be investigated by special team. Constituted SIT headed by senior officer: K&#39;taka CM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/of5lVBKg4e">pic.twitter.com/of5lVBKg4e</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905328940050288640">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah chairs meeting with top Police officials of the state to discuss <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GauriLankesh?src=hash">#GauriLankesh</a> murder case. <a href="https://t.co/LneImCgCFB">pic.twitter.com/LneImCgCFB</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/905333027751870465">September 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Indrajit Lankesh said he had requested police to view the CCTV footage in front of him and his mother

Gauri Lankesh was shot in the chest, her brother has said. Indrajit Lankesh added that the shooting was captured on CCTV. He added that he had requested police to view the the CCTV footage in front of him and his mother. And that the family wanted a CBI probe into the killing of Gauri Lankesh. The Karnataka Police meanwhile have formed a SIT (special investigation team) to look into the murder. She was shot in her chest. CCTV captured everything. Requested Police to open it in front of me & my mother-Indrajit #GauriLankesh's brother — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × She was an activist, she was doing her job, there were no threats as of now as far as we know: Indrajit Lankesh, #GauriLankesh's brother pic.twitter.com/zZa8h8mZBT — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × He added that there were no threats to Gauri's life. Also read: Protests, rage across country as Gauri Lankesh is laid to rest Request CBI probe. We've seen Kalburgi issue that state investigated & with sadness I say they've not done anything: #GauriLankesh's brother pic.twitter.com/YaVVFzREZb — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × Karnataka chief minister Siddaramiah said he had left the decision on whether there would be a CBI probe or not to the Karnataka police chief. Left it to DGP who will speak to Home Minister and decide on it: Karnataka CM on question of handing over case to CBI #GauriLankesh pic.twitter.com/WpGaSod7iE — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × He added that he had instructed police that activists propagating progressive thoughts should be given police protection. Instructed Police that activists propagating progressive thoughts should be given Police protection: Karnataka CM #GauriLankesh pic.twitter.com/bphWl8KecQ — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × He said Gauri had met him recently but had not mentioned any threats to her. He added that similar weapons had been used in the Kalburgi, Pansare, and Dabholkar killings, but that it was too soon to link Gauri's murder to theirs. Similar weapons used in Kalburgi, Pansare & Dabholkar killings, in this case we don't know yet so can't draw link-Karnataka CM #GauriLankesh — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × He said he had instructed police that the "case must be taken seriously". Instructed case must be taken seriously & be investigated by special team. Constituted SIT headed by senior officer: K'taka CM #GauriLankesh pic.twitter.com/of5lVBKg4e — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 × Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah chairs meeting with top Police officials of the state to discuss #GauriLankesh murder case. pic.twitter.com/LneImCgCFB — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2017 ×

Gauri Lankesh was shot in the chest, CCTV captured everything: Brother

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