Gauri murder: Home minister's claim on 'vital clue' stumps SIT

Team member says they are still groping in the dark

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has got a "vital clue" about the sensational murder of 55-year-old journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy claimed on Saturday.

Speaking to journalists after meeting senior police officials, including members of the SIT, he expressed confidence that the killers would be "caught soon". He, however, refused to give the details, saying it would hamper the investigation.

The minister's statement has surprised SIT officers who are still reportedly groping in the dark. One of them said they were perplexed by what the minister said. "We have got no clue so far," the officer, who would not be quoted, said.

Gauri was murdered by an unidentified sharpshooter just outside her home in West Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar around 8 pm on September 5. Her killing sparked off nationwide protests and drew parallels between the murders of Kannada research M M Kalburgi, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and communist leader Govind Pansare.

Reddy dismissed the suggestion that the killers espoused a particular ideology. "We are not concerned with the right or the left. Our aim is to catch the assassins," he said.
He felt that some people were trying to "mislead" the investigation by raking up the ideology issue.

Reddy denied the suggestions made by JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy and BJP leader R Ashoka that the home minister was not taken into confidence when the SIT was formed. He, however, said: "I will take suggestions from everyone, including Kumaraswamy, Ashoka and retired IPS officer Kempaiah. But the decision will be mine," he said, adding that he had been a legislator for the past 28 years and knew how to wield power.