Gauri Lankesh murder: Karnataka government forms SIT to exclusively probe scribe killing

Deeply shocked over the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has formed a special investigation team (SIT) exclusively to probe the case. The team will be headed by IG level officer.

After holding an emergency meeting, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told media persons that as per preliminary investigation, the CCTV has shown that one person with helmet on has shot at her. As he shot, she ran towards the gate by the time she was gunned down. When media persons questioned who is heading the investigation, Siddaramaiah said he had left it to the senior police officers to decide on the right person in consultation with the home minister.

Since the probe is at the preliminary stage, it is not appropriate to draw comparisons with the murder of Kalburgi. He further said that "This is an organised crime. It is tough to investigate who conspired it."

Woken up by the murders of intellectuals and activists, the government has decided to provide security to rationalists, intellectuals and activists. 

Siddaramaiah denied rumours that he was aware of the threat rumours to Gauri. "She had been meeting me on several occasions with the cause she was fighting. She met me even last week. She never shared with me that she was receiving death threats."

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