SIMILAR GUN, SAME KILLER?

Scotland Yard confirms killings of Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and M M Kalburgi were with similar weapon

The initial ballistic finding by Indian forensic experts that the three rationalists -- Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and M M Kalburgi – were murdered with the same type of weapon has been validated by the Scotland Yard in London.

This, in turn, gives credence to the hypotheses that all the three murders have a common thread running through them and were possibly committed by the same person.

The initial forensic report had been prepared by the state FSL which had said that the three murders had been carried out with the same type of weapon – a 7.65-mm country-made hand gun.

Even in the earlier stages of the investigation, it had been suspected that Dr Virendra Tawde, who was arrested on June 10 this year for the Dabholkar murder, was involved in the murders of Pansare and Kulbargi as well. The conclusive ballistic finding may now go against him. Several other factors, including the modus operandi, seem to buttress this ‘single killer’ theory.

Incidentally, the Centre has denied any commonality and Union minister of state for home affairs, Kiren Rijiju, had on December 2 said in Parliament that there were no findings or reports indicating a link in the three killings. Now, the Centre will be constrained to look afresh at the three cases.

While Dabholkar (69), an anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead in Pune in August 2013, Pansare (81), known for his rationalist views, was murdered in Kolhapur in February 2015. Later, well known Kannada writer, Kalburgi (77), had been shot dead in August 2015 at Dharwad; the latter was also known to be a friend of Pansare, sources said. Sources at the Kalina forensic laboratory said it can be inferred from the latest finding that the same person could be behind these murders. According to Dr B B Daundkar, director of FSL, they had submitted a report to the police almost a year and a half ago which had said that the murders had been committed with the same type of weapon.

Sources said that the case is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the High Court had instructed that the initial forensic report be sent to the Scotland Yard for further inquiry. Investigations have also revealed that the motorcycle used in the three killings was similar to the one owned by Dr Virendra Tawde, sources said.