Gauri Lankesh Murder: Another Accused Arrested From Jharkhand

BENGALURU: One person has been arrested by the SIT probing journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case on Thursday. Rushikesh Devdikar alias Murali, 44, who was at large, was nabbed from his hideout at Katras in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand, the probe agency said in a statement.

Murali is the 18th accused in the case and was part of the conspiracy to kill Lankesh. He will be produced before the jurisdictional Judicial Magistrate on Friday.

His house is being searched for more clues, the SIT said.

Lankesh, a left-leaning journalist, was shot dead on September 5, 2017 outside her house by a member of a gang that apparently planned to kill her after being inspired by a book brought out by right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha, that had identified Lankesh as a 'durjan' (evil person).

Investigators said the gang had also prepared a list of people whom they wanted to kill. The list included noted playwright Girish Karnad and rationalist K S Bhagawan. The SIT had found that Lankesh was killed after a conspiracy was hatched by members of a right-wing group, which is also accused of killing rationalist M M Kalburgi.

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