Senior Journalist Gauri Lankesh Shot Dead At Her Residence In Bengaluru

Gauri Lankesh ran the weekly Gauri 'Lankesh Patrike,' a Kannada tabloid, and was seen as a fearless, independent and outspoken journalist.

Gauri Lankesh had been under attack from people with ideological differences.

Story Highlights

• Top police officers rushed to Gauri Lankesh's home after she was shot
• Reports suggest unidentified men shot her seven times from close range
• She ran the weekly 'Lankesh Patrike,' a Kannada tabloid

Bengaluru: Gauri Lankesh, a senior journalist and activist in Bengaluru, has been shot dead at her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

The Bengaluru Police Commissioner has confirmed the incident; top police officers have rushed to the spot. 

"We learnt that the victim was shot dead from close range when she was standing at her house in Rajarajeswari Nagar (in the suburbs) around 8.00 p.m.," a senior police officer said.

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Reports suggest unidentified men shot at 55-year-old Ms Lankesh seven times from close range and three bullets hit her on the neck and chest. She collapsed at the door of her house in West Bengaluru.

She ran the weekly Gauri 'Lankesh Patrike,' a Kannada tabloid, and was seen as a fearless, independent and outspoken journalist. She had been under attack from people with ideological differences.

"We will set up a special team to investigate the murder of Gauri Lankesh," said an official.

In November 2016, she was sentenced to six months in jail after a defamation case was filed against her for a report against BJP leaders.

The shooting has caused outrage on Twitter. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted: "Shocked to hear that the brave Journalist-Activist Gauri Lankesh has been shot dead in Bengaluru. Culprits should be nabbed at the earliest."

"Shocking and blood curdling to hear about the murder of Gauri Lankesh. These monstrous criminals must be nailed n dealt with sternly," tweeted Biocon's chairman Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted:
 

 

https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial

In 2015, MM Kalburgi, renowned scholar and the 77-year-old former vice chancellor of Hampi University, was also shot dead on the doorstep of his Dharwad home in Karnataka. The police are yet to make any arrests in this case.