Kalburgi assassination: Two years on, CID fails to catch culprits

News Network
August 30, 2017

Bengaluru, Aug 30: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the assassination of Kannada writer Prof M M Kalburgi seems to have hit a dead-end.

It has been two years since Prof Kalburgi was shot dead at his Kalyananagar house in Dharwad on August 30, 2015.

The lone satisfaction for the CID in the last two years is the ‘conclusion’ that the two assailants who shot dead rationalists Narendra Dabholkar (65) and Govind Pansare (84) in Maharashtra were involved in Prof Kalburgi’s killing too.

Despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that the investigation is in final stage, the CID top brass is tight-lipped about the case.

“We are doing our best and will do our best to solve the case,” Director General of Police (CID), H C Kishore Chandra said.

He maintained that there was no delay in solving the case. “Neither there are any challenges nor is there any delay.” He was quick to add, “In fact, we were the first agency to establish the involvement of same men in the assassinations of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi.”

Though the police suspect involvement of the same gang in all the three murders, officers lack evidences to establish their suspicion.

“Our biggest problem is lack of strong leads. We can only suspect, but can’t establish our suspicion with evidences,” pointed out a senior officer involved in the investigation.

“Kalburgi was killed over ideological, historical and religious issues. Unfortunately, there are no conclusive evidences to establish this,” he said.

The investigation carried out so far points fingers at two sects of Hinduism---one in Karnataka and the other in Maharashtra. Prof Kalburgi was opposed to a sect in Karnataka and exposed certain religious preachers.

He openly condemned preachers of Hinduism.

The two sects plotted the murder and executed the plan through contract killers, the police said.

Property dispute ruled out

Two other possible causes, property dispute and domestic issues, have been disproved by the police.

Even Prof Kalburgi’s close associates express similar views. They criticised the CID’s delay in questioning Dr Virendra Tawde and Samir Vishnu Gaikwad arrested by the CBI and the Special Investigation Team in Dabholkar and Pansare murder cases respectively. They allege that the state government is under pressure from religious leaders and hence Dr Tawde and Gaikwad have not been questioned so far despite the information that the they were involved in all the three murders.

“Religious leaders are involved in Prof Kalburgi’s killing. We are much worried about the delay in arresting the culprits,” Prof Chandrashekhar Patil, writer and Kalburgi’s close friend said.

Writer and former minister B T Lalitha Naik said, “Highly influential religious leaders seems to have plotted the assassination. The government is delaying the probe due to pressure. A CBI probe can alone take the case to logical end.”

Comments

khasai Khane
 - 
Wednesday, 30 Aug 2017

You have to wait 15 Years if the victim was a sanghi (like in case of Rapsit Baba) .. and if you are muslim/pro-muslim wait till eternity..! Congress or BJP or anybody else...!

Justice delayed is justice denied...

Abdullah
 - 
Wednesday, 30 Aug 2017

Shame on our Government and Police department.

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News Network
February 5,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 5: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that he has demanded a report on the Shaheen School incident after reports emerged that children were allegedly interrogated by the police for hours at a stretch, while not allowing parents to be present.

Terming the incident a very sensitive matter as it involves children, Basavaraj Bommai said, "I have asked for a report on the Shaheen School incident. As it is a very sensitive and serious issue, I have asked the police to handle it carefully."

"I have asked the police to take the help of the women and child protection committee at the district level. However, I have been told that the police had visited the area where the play was done and no interrogation of children in isolation took place. Nevertheless, I have asked the police to handle the issue with care and do everything within the law," Basavaraj added.

The matter pertains to a programme organised as a part of the Republic day celebrations where the children in Shaheen School in Bidar had staged a play against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had protested alleging that the play at Shaheen School in Bidar was derogatory. In the play, the participants were shown staging an anti-CAA sequence where there were dialogues encouraging non-cooperation with anyone asking for documents. A case was registered against the school management.

Meanwhile, CEO of Shaheen Education Institute, Bidar, Tauseef Madikeri had said, "Police have invoked Sections 124A, 505 and 504 of the IPC against the institution, over a play staged against CAA and NRC. It is beyond anyone's imagination. Deputy SP visited the classroom and interrogated the students."

Karnataka police had sealed the offices of the school after its students participated in the play. Meanwhile, the police had questioned students of Shaheen School after a play against the CAA and NRC was staged during the Republic Day celebrations.

The child rights groups, teachers and educationists had issued a statement condemning the police interrogation in the incident.

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News Network
August 3,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 3: All those who met Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who has tested positive for Covid-19, in the last three-four days will have to be quarantined, Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K said on Monday.

He also said those who came in contact with Yediyurappa in a couple of programmes in the past week are being traced.

Sudhakar, a medical doctor himself, said Yediyurappa has "very mild cough and his chest is clear."

"I think eight to ten days," he told news agency when asked how long the Chief Minister would have to remain in hospital.

Sudhakar said he is also getting himself tested as a few of his office staff had tested positive.

"All those who met the Chief Minister in the last 3-4 days...ideally they should be quarantined till they receive their results/report. Those who came in contact with him in a couple of programmes will have to isolate themselves and subject themselves for testing," the Minister said.

On the Chief Minister meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala, along with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai last Friday, Sudhakar said as a result "They also become primary contacts. Ideally, they should also be quarantined and tested."

Yediyurappa who was hospitalised on Sunday night after testing positive for Covid-19 was "doing well" and is "clinically stable", the hospital treating him said.

The 77-year old leader is being monitored by a team of doctors at the Manipal hospital here.

"He is doing well, is clinically stable and will be monitored closely by our team," the hospital said in a statement late last night.

"I have tested positive for coronavirus. Whilst I am fine, I am being hospitalised as a precaution on the recommendation of doctors. I request those who have come in contact with me recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine," Yediyurappa had said in his tweet.

Yediyurappa was in home quarantine a couple of weeks ago, after some staff members in his home office were found infected with the virus. Subsequently, he tested negative for Covid-19.

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News Network
March 21,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 21: The news and public relations department, the Indian Red Cross Society and the Karnataka State Labour Studies Institute have invited volunteers for the programme to provide real-time information to people to avoid spreading rumours and misinformation about coronavirus.

This is an opportunity to join hands with the Karnataka government and fight coronavirus. These volunteers will be known as the "Corona Warriors", who will be entrusted with the job of monitoring social media sites to check rumours that are being spread across all taluks in the state. They will also take steps to provide proper information.

Applications are already being shared online and registered volunteers will be provided with appropriate training, security kits and identification cards at all district offices of the Department of Information and Public Relations.

At least four volunteers will work in four shifts per day in each taluk of the state. There are about 120 volunteers in Bengaluru city and about 3,000 Corona Warriors are expected to register from across the state. Over 400 volunteers have registered via online application on the first day.

Fifteen people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state, said Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Friday.

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