Kalburgi case: SIT files chargesheet, says Gauri Lankesh’s alleged killer shot researcher Kalburgi

Agencies
August 18, 2019

Bengaluru, Aug 18: The SIT said that the reason behind killing Dr Kalburgi was his observations while delivering a keynote address during a discussion on June 9, 2014The special investigation team, probing the death of researcher Dr M M Kalburgi, said that the he was shot by the hitman allegedly involved in the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh. The team had stated this in the charge sheet filed in he Hubballi-Dharwad district court. Kalburgi was shot dead in August 2015.

The other accused in the case were Amol Kale, Praveen Prakash Chatur, Vasudev Bhagavan Suryavamshi, Sharad Kalaskar and Amith Ramchandra Baddi, the SIT said in a press release.

The gang was allegedly inspired by a book ‘Kshatra Dharma Sadhana’ brought out by the Sanatan Sanstha, a Hindu extremist group, the SIT said.

Why was Kalburgi killed?

The SIT said that the reason behind killing Dr Kalburgi was his observations while delivering a keynote address during a discussion on June 9, 2014 under the topic, “Towards a superstition free society”. This was a debate on the enactment of Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practices Bill, 2013 and was held at the Vigyan Bhavan in Bengaluru.

Based on his speech, the gang depicted him as a ‘durjan’ (devil incarnate), as mentioned in Kshatra Dharma Sadhana.

“They had jointly hatched a conspiracy to murder Kalburgi in furtherance of the achievement of their goals and executed it,” the SIT said.

The gang members stole a bike to execute their plan, did a recce of their target and did practise shooting in a rubber plantation at Pilathabettu village in Dakshina Kannada district.

“Praveen Chatur and Ganesh Miskin then went on a stolen bike and reached Kalburgis house at about 8.30 am on August 30, 2015.

Ganesh Miskin, the alleged hitman in the Gauri Lankesh case, then went to the house and shot Kalburgi twice on his forehead and killed him, said the SIT.

The same gang had allegedly killed Gauri Lankesh on the evening of September 5, 2017, outside her house.

In the Lankesh case, Miskin allegedly rode the bike while Parashuram Waghmare, another accused in the case, had fired.

The bullets and empty cartridges found at the scene of Lankesh’s murder had reportedly revealed that the same country-made pistol was used to kill Kalburgi, suggesting that one outfit or group was responsible for both the killings.

The SIT, formed to probe into the Lankesh case, was told by the Supreme Court in 2019 to investigate into the Kalburgi case too.

Both the killings had triggered a nationwide protest.

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News Network
April 5,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 5: Fake news spreads faster and more easily nowadays through the internet, social media and instant messaging and such news about the COVID-19 pandemic have been labeled a dangerous “infodemic”.

These messages may contain useless, incorrect or even harmful information and advice, which can hamper the public health response and add to social disorder and division.

Asking people to avoid fake news on COVID-19, Hemant Nimbalkar IPS, IGP and Additional Commissioner of Police (Administration), shared a photo on his Twitter page and wrote, “One Mask For Ear Too"

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News Network
February 11,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 11: A 36-year-old woman who fought back after being stabbed eight times by a helmet-clad intruder succumbed to injuries at a hospital.

Susheela was in shock after she pulled off the attacker’s helmet as it was her own brother-in-law. Before breathing her last, she explained the sequence of events to the police.

She said her brother-in-law attacked her because he was eyeing their ancestral property worth over Rs 10 crore. “Susheela put up a stiff resistance and identified her assailant. But the stab injuries proved to be fatal,” said a police officer. Based on her statement, Ananth Kumar, 42, was arrested on murder charges.

The attack occurred on February 7 at Honaganahatti village in Tavarekere, off Magadi Road. Susheela, whose husband Gangaraju died in a road accident 12 years ago, was living with her 14-year-old daughter and 75-year-old mother, Rudramma.

On Friday, her daughter had gone to school and Rudramma was sitting outside the house when a man walked in wearing a full-faced helmet and attacked Susheela with a knife. She defended herself with a stick used for making ragi balls and by throwing chilli powder at his face. But the attacker stabbed her on the hand, neck and head. He fled when Susheela identified him and raised an alarm. Neighbours rushed her to a hospital.

During questioning, Kumar reportedly confessed to the crime, saying he wanted to get rid of her as she was not agreeing to sell five acres of their ancestral property.

Susheela’s nephew Kiran G said: “The family owned six acres. Kumar sold one acre for Rs 50 lakh a few years ago after convincing Susheela. He, however, paid her only Rs 5 lakh. Lately, he was pestering Susheela to sell the remaining land as buyers were ready to pay Rs 2.5 crore per acre. But she was hesitating as she had been cheated by him earlier.”

Police are now examining the circumstances under which Gangaraju was killed. “We learnt the driver who had been arrested in connection with Gangaraju’s accident is currently working with Kumar,” said an officer.

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coastaldigest.com news network
February 18,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 18: Within days after Kambala racer Srinivasa Gowda emerged a national hero, another Kambala racer Nishant Shetty has grabbed headlines. 

Nishant Shetty from Bajagoli Jogibettu reportedly broke Gowda’s record at the Venoor Kambala on Sunday. Shetty recorded 143m in 13.68 seconds. If calculated for 100m he clocks it in 9.51 seconds. His speed is faster than Gowda who clocked 9.55 seconds.

According to Kambala organisers, with Shetty’s feat, four participants have joined the elite club of racers who have completed the 100 metres in less than ten seconds.

They are Iruvathur Anand (9.57 secs), Akkeri Suresh Shetty (9.57 secs), Srinivas Gowda (9.55 secs) and Nishant Shetty (9.51 secs). Anand and Suresh Shetty had participated in the same Venoor Kambala where Nishant emerged first.

Kambala is an annual race held in Karnataka where people sprint 143m through paddy fields with the buffaloes. During the race, the racers try to bring the buffaloes under control by holding their reins tight and beating them, making it amply clear that the animal plays an equally important role in achieving the timing. Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

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