New Delhi [India], September 6 : Home Minister Rajnath Singh has sought for a report from the Karnataka Government on murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh.
He has instructed the Home Secretary to seek a report from the government in connection with the murder.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the decision of handing over the murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will be taken by the Director General of Police (DGP).
He also said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is going to be constituted to probe into the murder case.
"I have taken stock of the investigation which is done so far. I have given instruction to police official. This case will be taken seriously and will be investigated by a special team. Therefore, a SIT is going to be constituted immediately to probe into this case. It is true that it is an organised crime, let the police look into it," the Chief Minister told media here.
Addressing the media here over the murder, the Chief Minister said that there was no threat to Lankesh's life.
He further said that he could not ascertain if it was a case of conspiracy or not. The Chief Minister, however, refrained from linking Lankesh's murder to the murder of three other outspoken critics of right-wing extremist ideology, M.M.
Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar. Siddaramaiah further said that he has also instructed the police that protection should be given to the activists propagating progressive thoughts.
Senior journalist Lankesh was shot dead on Tuesday at her residence in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Naga by some unidentified assailants at around 8-8:30 p.m.
As per reports, three bullets were pumped in her body. Lankesh's body was later shifted to the Victoria Hospital for the post-mortem. Lankesh was the editor of the Gauri Lankesh Patrike, a tabloid described as an "anti-establishment" publication.
Following this, major protest demonstrations have been planned across India, especially in prominent parts of Karnataka.
Source: ANI
