Gauri Lankesh murder: No eyewitness, neighbours too scared to cooperate

BENGALURU: Finding an eyewitness has proved an enormous challenge for police, who have begun investigating the Gauri Lankesh murder. The neighours, who were the first to see her dead body after hearing gunshots, claim they didn't see the killers. Police now have to reconstruct the event based on circumstantial and technical evidence.

A family of three, comprising a couple and their 14-year-old daughter, who lived in the apartment opposite Lankesh's residence, were the first to arrive at the scene. "They heard gunshots and mistook the sound for crackers. When they looked out of their home, they spotted Lankesh lying on the ground," said a police official. "They thought she had fainted and rushed to her rescue with a bottle of water. Only when they arrived at the spot did they see her lying in a pool of blood. A moment later, a few other residents also stepped out to check on what was happening outside." They called the control room and the jurisdictional police were alerted.

Rajarajeshwarinagar inspector Shivareddy and Head Constable Cholappa were the first to arrive. When they approached the family for details, the daughter, who was visibly scared, burst into tears, beseeching her father not to get involved. "Officials tried to convince him, saying they only want to know what happened. However, he left, saying he has no information and simply saw Lankesh's body. The family have left the house and gone to stay with a relative. There are no eyewitness accounts in the case," the official added.