3 Sanatan workers under lens for Gauri’s murder
They were also linked to killing of Pansare and Dabholkar
As the investigation into the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh continues, the SIT has intensified the probe regarding the possible involvement of right wing activists in the case.
Sources said that the SIT officials are collecting more details about three specific persons, who are said to be associated with Sanatan Sanstha.
Sarang Akolkar alias Sarang Kulkarni, Jay Prakash alias Anna and Praveen Linkar, whose names had figured earlier in the murders of rationalists — Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and researcher Dr. M. M. Kalburgi, are said to be under the scanner of the SIT, which is probing the murder for almost a month now.
The SIT had started the probe on September 7, two days after Ms. Lankesh was shot dead at her doorstep in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 late evening.
Akolkar hails from Shanivarpet in Pune while Linkar is from Uchhgaon in Kolhapur of Maharashtra.
The other suspect Jay Prakash hails from Puttur town in Dakshina Kannada district.
Against all the three, the Interpol has issued Red Notice after their involvement was suspected in the Goa blasts in 2009 and they have been absconding since then.
After the ballistic reports revealed that there are striking similarities in the weapons used in the murders of Pansare, Dabholkar, Kalburgi and Lankesh, the SIT is working more on the right wing angle, as all other leads are said to have dried.
Meanwhile, the SIT has reportedly asked the NIA and CBI to share more details about these three suspects.
The CBI is handling the Dabholkar murder case.
“We have sent a team to the NIA and CBI to get details about these three suspects. We will have to study their cases before arriving at any conclusion,” an SIT official said. However, he admitted that it has been a tough case so far with almost no evidence left at the crime scene and they would take some more time to crack the case.
The SIT probing Gauri Lankesh’s killing has reportedly asked the NIA and CBI to share more details about these three suspects.