Journalist Gauri Lankesh, who led crusade against communalism, shot dead

coastaldigest.com news network
September 5, 2017

Bengaluru, Sept 5: Veteran journalist and peace activist Gauri Lankesh (55) who led a crusade against saffron extremists and communalism in Karnataka for decades was on Tuesday shot dead by unidentified gunmen near her residence in Bengaluru.

The incident took place within a few days after the second anniversary of the assassination of M M Kalburgi, a rationalist and former vice-chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi, who also had earned the wrath of Hindutva extremists through his writings. The manner in which Gauri was killed was eerily similar to the way in which Kalburgi was killed.

According to reports, at around 7: 00 pm, the gunmen shot at Gauri and wounded her fatally before escaping from the scene.  Police said that Gauri was getting out of her car to open the gate of her house, when assailants shot her. The shots penetrated her chest and she was killed on the spot, reports said.

Gauri was the daughter of revolutionary journalist P Lankesh. She was a veteran editor and columnist in both Kannada and English, and was a vocal critic of the right wing.

Last year, she was convicted of criminal defamation in two cases by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court in Hubballi on Monday. Dharwad BJP MP Prahallad Joshi and BJP leader Umesh Dhushi had filed individual defamation cases against Lankesh in objection to a report on BJP leaders she had published in her periodical on January 23, 2008.

According to the police, Gauri left her office - Gauri Lankesh Patrike - at Gandhi Bazar around 7 pm. She reached her home around 7.45 pm.

As she was about to open the main door, three assailants called her. As she stepped out, they pumped four bullets from point-blank range. The bullets pierced her abdomen and chest.

Neighbours rushed out on hearing gunshots and Gauri's screams and called an ambulance.

"The house is located in a secluded area near Ideal Homes in Rajarajeshwarinagar. There was no immediate help after the attack," said Shivasundar, Gauri's close aide.

Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said it is yet to be ascertained whether the assailants were following Gauri or waiting near her residence.

"Four cartridges have been found at the spot. There are two CCTV cameras at the house and the footage will be examined after forensic officials inspect the spot. Three teams have been formed to nab the assailants, including one headed by joint commissioner (crime). We are also checking other CCTV cameras in the area," Kumar said.

The police said that the modus operandi in Gauri's murder is similar to that of Kalburgi case.

Gauri is the eldest daughter of revolutionary Kannada journalist and thinker P Lankesh. Gauri was known for her writings against the RSS and the BJP.

She had spearheaded several movements in the state and was instrumental in facilitating the surrender of Maoists who wanted to return to the mainstream.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "Soon after the police submit a preliminary report, we will determine the nature of the probe.”

The chief minister clarified that Gauri had not sought police protection and that there were no intelligence reports indicating a threat to her life.

After visiting the spot, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, "She (Gauri) was staying alone and her mother was with her sister Kavitha in Uttarahalli. The officials told me that she met DGP R K Dutta three times. However, she never shared any information about a threat to her life. In fact, she called me on Saturday and said that she would meet on Monday. But she did not turn up,'' Reddy said.

The body was shifted to the Victoria Hospital for postmortem. A family member said the funeral would be held on Wednesday.

Comments

ayman kudroli
 - 
Tuesday, 5 Sep 2017

wipe out namardonki fouj club of bachelors what  akbaruddin owaisi said once its true ban rss terrorist org

Habeeb Puttur
 - 
Tuesday, 5 Sep 2017

Definately behind this murder KP Bhat and Raghu Swamy... arrest them soon...just check last week's gauri lankesh pathrike main page, what she wrote....and about whom...

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News Network
February 28,2020

The Karnataka BJP, which faced action on Twitter earlier this month over incendiary tweets, this time has passed the blame of Sangh Parivar sponsored Delhi violence to the victims.

In an insensitive tweet on Friday, it dubbed the protests against the notorious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as "fake" and added that the violence that followed was "the most well-planned assault on the Idea of India," in an apparent attempt to portray the victims as villains.

The handle, notorious for tweets targeting Muslims, blamed the clashes that erupted in Delhi between people demonstrating for and against the CAA on "so called 'Peacefuls'" - a known right-wing slur for Muslims.

Many people on social media called out the tweet for misleading people and covering up the role of Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra's provocative speech for triggering the violence or the failure of the Delhi Police, which reports to the former BJP chief and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in controlling the riots.

Earlier this month, the Karnataka BJP had tweeted a video of Muslim women standing in queue to vote in the Delhi elections, showing their voter ID cards, with the snarky caption: "Keep the documents safe, you will need to show them again during NPR (National Population Register) exercise."

Soon after, the party unit's Twitter handle was blocked by the social media platform for 24 hours after many accused it of encouraging Islamophobia.

NPR has been widely criticised by opposition parties as a precursor to the government's planned NRC or National Register of Citizens which intends to make Indians prove their citizenship with documents that many poor or illiterate do not possess.

Many fear that combined with the already imposed CAA - which promises citizenship to only non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh - the NRC can be used to make millions of Muslims stateless.

The government has denied the allegation and said the CAA only intends to help those who have faced religious persecution. In recent weeks, it has gone back on its rhetoric on the NRC which was announced by Amit Shah in parliament as "it will certainly happen".

The CAA, which was cleared by parliament in December, has triggered deadly protests in the country which left at least 25 dead till Sunday. Since then, at least 42 more people have been killed as large-scale violence erupted in northeast Delhi and hundreds of homes and shops have been burned to the ground.

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News Network
March 23,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 23: Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi cautioned private bus transport services operators, taxis and autorickshaws from exploiting commuters in wake of bus and train services being suspended by the government as precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement released here on Monday, Transport Minister Savadi said it has come to the notice that private buses, taxis and autorickshaws were misusing the opportunity and exploiting commuters. Inter-district bus services have been suspended in the districts wherein lockdown has been announced to protect the health of people and none should violate the decision of the government, he stated.

Transport and Police Department officials have been asked to taken action against those violating norms and exploiting commuters. Service providers for their profit cannot risk with the health of the people and repeated cases if come to the fore, they will not be spared, Savadi cautioned.

Government has taken measures to prevent spread of COVID-19. Private transport service providers and people should join hands and cooperate to contain it, he appealed. 

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coastaldigest.com News Network
April 25,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 25: Bajrang Dal's former Karantaka satate convenor Mahendra Kumar, who dedicated last decade of his life to expose the misdeeds and lies of Sangh Parivar, passed away today due to cardiac arrest here. He was 47 years old.

Kumar was undergoing treatment at Ramaiah hospital Bengaluru where he breathed his last today (April 25) morning. His final rites will be held in his hometown, sources said.

Kumar, who hailed from Koppa in Chikkamagaluru was a resident of Bengaluru.

He had reportedly involved in the 2008 attacks on Christians' places of worship in Mangaluru and Chikkamagaluru and had faced arrest for that. 

However, he quit Bajrang Dal same year and the apologized to Christians. He joined Janata Dal (Secular) in 2011.

After quitting Bajrang Dal and adopting left ideology, he openly attacked the ideology of right-wing outfits. 

He founded Jana Dhwani movement as a voice for the oppressed classes of the state. He used social media to attack the "manuvaad" for past one decade.

Comments

AA
 - 
Sunday, 26 Apr 2020

Rest in peace.....Sir

who will take over his job, who will fulfill his wishes to free this country from manuvad..?

Angry Indian
 - 
Saturday, 25 Apr 2020

GOD will turn the table for his good work at the last moment...we really lost good voice who is to support humanity...

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