Raise security for Girish Karnad, 3 others on hit list: SIT

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the Gauri Lankesh murder case, on Monday asked the state government to scale up security for four prominent personalities — actor-writer Girish Karnad, rationalists KS Bhagawan and Narendra Naik and Nidumamidi Mutt pontiff Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamiji — following threats from right-wing Hindu outfits.

In a letter to the home department, the SIT suggested deployment of gunmen for the four men and installation of CCTV cameras at their houses. The CCTV units should have a higher storage capacity and footage should be stored at least a year. The SIT also suggested monitoring the schedules and movements of the four persons when they visit other parts of the state.

Normally, the hard disk of digital video recordings connected to CCTV cameras can store visuals and videos for one month. “It is better to install cameras with higher resolution and ensure more space on hard disk at their homes and the mutt,” SIT sources said.


The SIT has arrested six people, including the alleged shooter, in the Gauri Lankesh murder case. “We’re looking for the rider who ferried alleged shooter Parashuram Waghmore to Gauri’s residence. We’re looking for the mastermind who hatched the conspiracy and the person who supplied weapons to Waghmore,” the SIT sources said.

“Waghmore repeatedly says he doesn’t know the name of the rider who took him to Gauri’s residence on the night of September 5. Waghmore recalled that everyone addressed the man as Dada,” the sources added. PTI

Muthalik’s remark on Lankesh sparks row
Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to respond each time a “dog dies in Karnataka”, Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik asked in a reference to the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, drawing a furious reaction from the Congress today. Muthalik made the comment during an interaction with the public in Bengaluru yesterday.

“Everyone is saying Hindu groups conspired to kill Gauri Lankesh, but two murders in Maharashtra and two in Karnataka took place during Congress’ rule,” he said, referring to the killings of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, Left leader Govind Pansare, Kannada writer M M Kalburagi and Lankesh.