Don't politicise Gauri's death, we only want culprits caught: Lankesh family
September 07, 2017 14:27
A day after Gauri Lankesh, 55, known for her left-leaning outlook and forthright views on Hindutva politics, was laid to rest, her siblings, Indrajit and Kavita hold a press conference on the probe into her murder.
Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Bangalore on Tuesday. She was the publisher and editor of Gauri Lankesh Patrike, a Kannada-language weekly.
Witnesses reported that she was fatally shot outside her home. Police said that the gunmen on motorbikes fired seven bullets at Lankesh as she was walking into her home from the front gate after returning from work. The gunmen escaped.
Indrajit Lankesh, her brother, said that Gauri was the best friend anyone could have. "I have lost my sister and a friend, I want the culprits caught."
The Karnataka Government has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the murder. The SIT reached her Raja Rajeshwari Nagar residence today.
When asked about the SIT probe, the siblings said, "Let SIT first do it's job. We will wait. Then we will think of a CBI probe." Indrajit had said yesterday that the family wanted a CBI probe into the case. Today he added that the family would give all the cooperation the SIT needed. The BJP had also asked for a CBI probe into the case.
However, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said that he had nothing against the CBI and if family insisted then he would think of handing over the case to the CBI. But he would not do it under BJP pressure. Indrajit said he had appreciated the CM's gesture of being open about a CBI probe, but at the end of it, just wanted justice.
The Lankesh siblings asked that the incident not be given a political or ideological colour. They said Gauri had no personal enmities, only ideological adversaries.
"For 14 yrs she ran the publication without any advertising, from her savings. She continued our father's legacy, I am proud of her," Indrajit said.
They said Gauri had strong ideological views, be it about Naxals or the right wing. We are all together to ensure justice for my sister: What she did with the Naxals was admirable, she was trying to bring them to mainstream, but was not a Naxal sympathiser.
T Sunil Kumar, Bengaluru police commissioner has promised the police would do everything to solve the case.
Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Bangalore on Tuesday. She was the publisher and editor of Gauri Lankesh Patrike, a Kannada-language weekly.
Witnesses reported that she was fatally shot outside her home. Police said that the gunmen on motorbikes fired seven bullets at Lankesh as she was walking into her home from the front gate after returning from work. The gunmen escaped.
Indrajit Lankesh, her brother, said that Gauri was the best friend anyone could have. "I have lost my sister and a friend, I want the culprits caught."
The Karnataka Government has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the murder. The SIT reached her Raja Rajeshwari Nagar residence today.
When asked about the SIT probe, the siblings said, "Let SIT first do it's job. We will wait. Then we will think of a CBI probe." Indrajit had said yesterday that the family wanted a CBI probe into the case. Today he added that the family would give all the cooperation the SIT needed. The BJP had also asked for a CBI probe into the case.
However, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said that he had nothing against the CBI and if family insisted then he would think of handing over the case to the CBI. But he would not do it under BJP pressure. Indrajit said he had appreciated the CM's gesture of being open about a CBI probe, but at the end of it, just wanted justice.
The Lankesh siblings asked that the incident not be given a political or ideological colour. They said Gauri had no personal enmities, only ideological adversaries.
"For 14 yrs she ran the publication without any advertising, from her savings. She continued our father's legacy, I am proud of her," Indrajit said.
They said Gauri had strong ideological views, be it about Naxals or the right wing. We are all together to ensure justice for my sister: What she did with the Naxals was admirable, she was trying to bring them to mainstream, but was not a Naxal sympathiser.
T Sunil Kumar, Bengaluru police commissioner has promised the police would do everything to solve the case.
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