A major breakthrough finally occurred in the murder of Kannada writer Gauri Lankesh after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested a 37-year old man allegedly belonging to a right-wing outfit yesterday.
Karnataka police-led Central Crime Branch and the SIT formed for this case arrested a Hindu Yuva Sene activist named KT Naveen Kumar from Bengaluru’s Majestic bus stand for illegal possession of bullets used in a gun.
Kumar, who belongs to Maddur town of Mandya district, was arrested after CCB’s investigation unearthed his links with some right-wing groups that supposedly had facilitated murderers of Lankesh to get access to her residence in Bengaluru.
Right after his arrest, the suspect was produced before a magistrate, who sent him to police custody for nine days for conducting further investigations and ascertaining his involvement and that of his accomplices in Lankesh’s killings.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government and Karnataka state police were under intense pressure after the Kannada journalist-activist was shot dead by assailants using country-made pistols right outside her residence almost six months ago.
These developments are expected to assume political sentiments as well because Karnataka is scheduled to go to polls this year and Lankesh’s murder has been a big point of contention between Congress, BJP and other local parties.