Eminent researcher and Kannada writer MM Kalburgi shot dead

BENGALURU: Eminent researcher and former vice-chancellor of Hampi Kannada University MM Kalburgi was shot dead at point-blank range when he opened the door of his home to a knock, in Dharwad, north Karnataka, at 8.40 am on Sunday. The suspected shooter escaped on a bike immediately after.

Kalburgi was said to be under threat from several right-wing outfits for expressing the views of the late Jnanpith awardee UR Ananthamurthy against idol worship. Kalburgi was also a target of attacks for his views that the Lingayat community had its own religion and was not part of Hinduism. Significantly, Police protection for him was withdrawn at his insistence just two weeks ago.

The murder drew comparisons in the literary circles with the killing of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in Pune in August 2013 and of activist Govind Pansare in February.



“It is a very dangerous trend. We feel this is definitely an ideological murder committed by religious fundamentalists, not a personal one. It was done in such a professional manner that we suspect supari was given to kill him,” writer K Marulasiddappa, one of Kalburgi’s friends, who has also received threats from extremist elements in Dharwad, told ET. “This is the first time such an incident has happened in Karnataka and we hope the government will be able to find out who was behind the whole thing.”