Gauri Lankesh murder: CM Siddaramaiah orders SIT probe, Home Minister Rajnath Singh asks for report

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said that the probe into the murder of veteran journalist Gauri Lankesh would be carried out by a Special Investigation Team led by the Inspector General of Police (IG). Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked the Home Secretary for a report concerning the journalist's murder as outrage over the killing gathered storm within India., A number of politicians from across party lines, journalists and others have come out to sharply condemn the murder and have demanded that the investigation into her killing be fast-tracked. The United States too spoke on the issue, with its embassy in New Delhi releasing a statement condemning the murder. "The US Mission in India joins advocates of press freedom in India and world-wide in condemning the murder of respected journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru.  We offer our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Ms. Lankesh," a statement released by the embassy read. As demands for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Gauri Lankesh's murder grow, the Karnataka CM said he is open to rope in the central agency. "A Special Investigative Team, headed by an IG will be constituted. I have given directions to DGP and IGP to constitute the SIT. The team will exclusively investigate this case," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru. "Currently three teams are involved in the investigation and the attackers will be arrested quickly. It looks like an organized crime," he added. Replying to a question, the chief minister refused to link Gauri's murder with that of other progressive thinkers, rationalists like MM Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. "Law and order in Karnataka is good. We have provided protection to all rationalists. I have instructed the police to give police protection to all free thinkers,"  he added. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier called the murder an "assassination on democracy". There is outrage in Bengaluru over the cold-blooded murder of Gauri Lankesh. Journalists and common people have come out in open condemning and expressing shock over the incident. Journalists from across the country have also come together to denounce the killing and demanded a speedy probe. "The Editors Guild of India is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the murder of Gauri Lankesh, senior journalist and Editor, Lankesh Patrike. Gauri Lankesh was a known critic of the Central government on key issues and had fearlessly expressed her views in the newspaper she edited as well as in other forums. Her killing is an ominous portent for dissent in democracy and a brutal assault on the freedom of the press. The Editors Guild of India demands that the Karnataka Government acts with alacrity to bring the culprits to justice apart from instituting a judicial probe into the killing," a statement issued by Editors Guild of India said. GAURI SHOT FROM CLOSE RANGE, CCTV SHOWS Gauri Lankesh, known for her progressive and fearless writing, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailant at her home in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. The 55-year-old journalist had returned home in her car and was opening the gate when she was fired upon indiscriminately. Two bullets hit her in the chest and one on her forehead, video from the CCTV installed at the front door of her house showed. A man wearing a black jacket and helmet is shown firing at Gauri from a close range. A prominent Left thinker and a staunch critic of Hindutva politics, Gauri Lankesh was convicted last year in a defamation case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prahlad Joshi. She was out on bail.