BENGALURU, Sep 7: Investigators from the IG-headed SIT today pored over the CCTV footage of the scene of murder of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh for clues in the hunt for the killers even as her family spoke against giving “political colour” to the incident.
As outrage across the country over the murder grew, Union minister Ramdas Athawale demanded that the killers be immediately arrested and hanged. He also said there was no need for levelling political allegations over the incident.
The Karnataka government on its part said it was hopeful of nabbing the assailants “as soon as possible.”
“SIT members have started their investigation into the Gauri Lankesh murder case and the state government is hopeful of nabbing the assailants as soon as possible,” Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters here.
Asked if there was any political compulsion for deciding against a CBI probe, Reddy said, “who said this? We are open minded, and that is what Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. If we feel the case is needed to be probed by CBI, we will hand over the case to it.”
As a political slugfest erupted on the killing, her family today made a plea against giving political colour.
The family also said the probe should look into all angles behind Gauri’s killing, whether it is right wing or Naxals, as reports have emerged about possible Naxal hand other than suspected involvement of right wing extremists, the ideology that Gauri had opposed throughout her life.
“I request, please don’t give political colour to Gauri’s killings, please give justice for a journalist, a woman and to our sister,” Gauri’s brother Indrajit Lankesh, flanked by his other sister Kavitha Lankesh, told reporters here.
While Indrajit favoured a CBI probe, Kavitha said the SIT which is currently investigating should be given time. (PTI)
