The Special Investigation Team (SIT) tasked with the investigation of journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder is still combing through available evidence. However, a news article has falsely claimed that a naxalite leader has been identified as a prime suspect in case.
The article claims that Naxal leader Vikram Gowda “killed Gauri Lankesh” and it has been widely shared on social media. However, it presents half-baked speculations without any real facts.
The article was published by Postcard.news, a repeat offender when it comes to fake news. It reads, “The Special Investigation Team (SIT) had probed all the angles and has listed the suspects in the case. The top suspect in this list is the naxal leader Vikram Gowda.”
For starters, the SIT is only three days old and they are currently going through available evidence.
The article went on to say,
The suspect even grows strong against Vikram after the Andhra Pradesh Police arrived in Bangalore to probe the case. These police are probing Gauri’s home and office to further strengthen their suspect. News also emerged that the Chhattisgarh police (Chhattisgarh is most hit by naxalism) is also seeking information on this case (sic).
MN Anuchet, deputy commissioner of police, (west) and investigating officer (SIT) for Gauri Lankesh murder case, has categorically denied that any team from Andhra Pradesh police has come to the city or inspected that crime scene.
The SIT officer also added that they have not identified any ‘lead suspect’ in the case so far.
The article claimed that Vikas Gowda was angry at senior leaders like Sirimane Nagaraju, Noor Zulfikar and others for leaving the naxalite movement, and killed her for bringing them to the mainstream.
The Naxalite leaders mentioned in the article – Noor Shridhar and Siremane Nagaraj – have announced that they didn’t come out of the party because of Gauri but because of the differences they had with the movement.
Unlike what is claimed in the article, these leaders didn’t come out of the Communist Part of India (Maoist), four years back. They moved out of the Naxal movement in 2006. Noor Shridhar said that it was only eight years after he left the armed struggle that he met Gauri Lankesh.
(#TalkingStalking: Have you ever been stalked? Share your experience with The Quint and inspire others to shatter the silence surrounding stalking. Send your stories to editor@thequint.com or WhatsApp @ +919999008335.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)