Bike used by Gauri Lankesh killers seized by Maharashtra ATS

MUMBAI: A year after journalist-turned-activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead at her house in Bengaluru, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad led by IPS officer Atulchandra Kulkarni has identified the vehicle used by her killers.


A senior IPS officer on Friday told TOI that the motorcycle used by the assailants has been identified and would be handed over Karnataka’s Special Investigation Team. “During the investigation after huge explosives were found in a house in Nalasopara, a motorcycle was found on the outskirts of Maharashtra. We submitted specific details of the vehicle to the SIT. It was confirmed that the vehicle was used by the assailants for killing Gauri Lankesh. The vehicle will be handed over to the SIT after completing legal formalities,’’ the IPS officer said.

Gauri Lankesh, a strong critic of right wing Hindu extremism, was shot dead in her house in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017. Both the ATS and SIT are suspecting that the accused involved in the murder of Gauri Lankesh, rationalist

Narendra Dabholkar

, Govindrao Pansare and M M Kalburgi are associated with each other.

The IPS officer said one of the accused has confessed that he shot dead Gauri Lankesh on the evening of September 5 last year. “We are in constant touch with senior IPS officials associated with Karnataka’s SIT and there is exchange of information. As a result, there was progress in the investigation. The SIT has so far detained 10 suspects in the Gauri Lankesh murder case. The probe may reach a conclusive stage soon,’’ he said.