Gauri Lankesh’s killing: SIT questions gangster-turned-scribe

The Special Investigation Team had earlier questioned author and historian Vikram Sampath in connection with senior journalist Gauri Lankesh’s killing.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder case of journalist Gauri Lankesh questioned gangster-turned-journalist Agni Sreedhar on Tuesday.

Mourners stand next to a portrait of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bangalore on September 6. She was gunned down outside her home the southern city of Bangalore — the latest in a string of deadly attacks targeting journalists. (AP File Photo)

An assistant commissioner of police, along with an inspector and a sub-inspector, quizzed Sreedhar for about an hour.

“It is true that an ACP, with an inspector, had come to my office and sought some details. It is good that the SIT is leaving no stone unturned to probe the matter,” said Sreedhar.

“There is no likelihood of any Naxal involvement in Lankesh’s killing. It is the same gang, or rather, I should say the same boys, who had killed (Narendra) Dabholkar, (Govind) Pansare and (MM) Kalburgi. If they are not tracked down, there will be more killings in the near future,” the “reformed” gangster added.

The SIT had earlier questioned author and historian Vikram Sampath in connection with Lankesh’s killing.

The Karnataka government had, on September 6, announced a 21-member SIT to investigate the killing of Lankesh, an incident which led to countrywide protests and condemnation across the political spectrum.

Lankesh, 55, known to be an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants outside her residence here on the night of September 5.