Six Years Later, Activists Demand Swift Trial in Lankesh Murder Case
On the sixth anniversary of the tragic assassination of renowned activist and journalist Gauri Lankesh outside her Bengaluru residence on September 5, 2017, her family and concerned activists are growing increasingly frustrated with the protracted legal proceedings. They are now advocating for the establishment of a special fast-track court dedicated to expediting the trial, urging that it be conducted on a day-to-day basis.
Kavita Lankesh, Gauri's younger sister, expressed dissatisfaction with the sluggish pace of the trial and hopes that the government will intervene to expedite the proceedings. She emphasized, "The charge sheet was filed in 2018, but instead of a speedy trial, the proceedings are being dragged on. We hope the government will speed up the trial."
An anonymous activist and a close associate of Gauri Lankesh echoed these concerns, underlining the urgent need for a special fast-track court to ensure a swift and comprehensive trial.
Gauri Lankesh's murder has broader implications, as it has been linked to the killings of four other rationalists: MM Kalburgi, Govind Pansare, Narendra Dhabolkar, and Lankesh herself. Forensic analysis revealed that the bullets and cartridges recovered from Gauri Lankesh's crime scene matched those from the Kalburgi murder.
The Maharashtra SIT, investigating Govind Pansare's murder, also identified the same weapon used in both Lankesh and Pansare's killings. Connections between Lankesh's murder and that of Narendra Dhabolkar, a Maharashtra-based rationalist murdered in 2013, emerged during the later stages of the investigation.
The state police chief has ordered a special team to investigate these threats, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation and its potential links to previous incidents.
As the sixth anniversary of Gauri Lankesh's assassination is marked, calls for justice and the swift resolution of related cases continue to resonate among activists and the wider community.
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