Gauri Lankesh Murder: SIT Releases Sketches, CCTV Grab of Suspects

CCTV footage of one suspect in Gauri Lankesh murder released.

Three suspects identified in Gauri Lankesh’s murder case.

(Photo: The Quint)

In a big revelation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) said, on 14 October, that there were eyewitnesses to the murder of activist and journalist Gauri Lankesh. The SIT released sketches of two suspects in the case based on the inputs from the eyewitnesses and CCTV footage from crime scene.

Gauri Lankesh was shot three times outside her Raja Rajeshwari Nagar home at around 8 pm on 5 September. Police have ruled out the “professional angle” in the murder. Clarifying, SIT chief BK Singh said that her journalistic work was not a motive for the murder. The police have not ruled out the possibility of her work as an activist as being a motive for the murder, he added.

Singh said over 200-250 people have been questioned in this case and over 75 TB of CCTV footage has been examined.

CCTV Footage Released

SIT chief BK Singh said that apart from the sketches, the team had no further information about the attackers. However, it is suspected that the two men stayed in Bengaluru for at least a week before committing the crime.

Singh said that assailants were between age group of 25 and 35. The SIT has also released two CCTV footage of a motorcyclist, who is suspected to have conducted a recce before the murder.

Also Read: Bombay HC Refers to Gauri Lankesh Murder, Says Trend Is Dangerous

Suspects Sketches Released

We are releasing these sketches, so that if any member of the public has seen anyone resembling them, anywhere in the city, they can inform us.

BK Singh, SIT chief

Sketch of a suspect.

Sketch of a suspect.

The SIT categorically denied finding any link between the weapons used in the murders of Gauri Lankesh, and rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi. "There are similarities and dissimilarities in the case," Singh commented.

The cartridges from the MM Kalburgi murder case are yet to arrive from CBI office in Delhi, he said. The SIT chief added that SIT has not yet sought any forensic and ballistic evidence from agencies probing the Pansare and Dabholkar murder cases.

Also Read: Gauri Lankesh: SIT Running out of CCTV Footage, No Breakthrough

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