Gauri Lankesh murder: SIT arrests man linked to right-wing group

Gauri Lankesh

Six months after the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Karnataka police on Friday arrested a man said to be linked with a right-wing radical group for his suspected involvement in the sensational killing. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the murder, said it arrested alleged gunrunner K T Naveen Kumar, who was taken into custody on March 2 for interrogation in connection with the case.

Mumbai Press Club along with other media organisations had staged a candlelight vigil last year seeking justice for Lankesh. File pics

This is the first arrest in the case after the 55-year old Lankesh, known as an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home on September 5 last year.

"He (Naveen Kumar) has been arrested. He is an accused (in the case)," Deputy Commissioner of Police M N Anucheth, the investigating officer in the case, was reported saying. Police said Kumar, in his 30s, was suspected to be linked with a fringe right-wing radical group. Initially, he was arrested on February 19 on charges of illegally possessing five bullets.

A case under the Arms Act was then registered against him and he was remanded to judicial custody. After interrogation, he was taken into eight-days custody by the SIT for suspected links in the Lankesh murder case. The arrest comes two days after state Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT would soon clear the air whether the police have picked up the right person in the case.

SIT granted custody of accused
Five days SIT custody has been granted to suspected accused K T Naveen Kumar by the Bengaluru Magistrate Court on Friday in connection with the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates