Police release sketch of Prof Kalburgi's suspected killer

The Hubli-Dharwad police released a sketch late on Wednesday of the man suspected of shooting Prof M M Kalburgi at his home on Sunday.

The Hubli-Dharwad police released a sketch late on Wednesday of the man suspected of shooting Prof M M Kalburgi at his home on Sunday.

This image, which was released on Facebook page of the Hubli-Dharwad police, was drawn on the basis of inputs from the slain scholar's family a an eyewitness whose identity is being protected by the police.

The image, which was released on Facebook page of the Hubli-Dharwad police, was drawn on the basis of inputs from the slain scholar's family a an eyewitness whose identity is being protected by the police.

Significantly, a senior police source in Hubli told HT that they are tracking the movements of a man who fits the sketch.

Separately, a source from the CID team that's leading the probe revealed that they have got some "excellent leads" thanks to footage captured by a CCTV camera outside the Hiremallur Ishwaran College which is near Prof Kalburgi's house.

The source said that two men riding a Bajaj Discover motorbike zoomed past the college minutes after Prof Kalburgi was killed. "We have good reason to believe that these were the assassins," the source said.

Earlier in the day, members of the Maharashtra Blind Faith Eradication Committee- founded by assassinated rationalist Narendra Dabholkar - visited the family of Prof Kalburgi in Dharwad.

Patil also said, "The investigation into the killings of Dabholkar was ruined by both the Congress and the BJP led governments in Maharashtra. Siddaramaiah, who is himself a rationalist, should take personal interest in finding the killers of Prof Kalburgi."

He said, "As a tribute to the life and work of Prof Kalburgi, the Siddaramaiah government should pass the Karnataka Anti-Superstition Bill which has been pending because of opposition from the BJP and Sangh Parivar."