BENGALURU: Special Investigation Team (SIT) officers who are probing into journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder case questioned the inmates at Vijayapura Central prison on Thursday. Police sources said the team visited Vijayapura prison and Aland sub-jail in Kalaburgi district and interrogated a few persons who were arrested under the Arms Act.
Officials were trying to gather information about illegal sale and manufacturing of firearms. Associates of rowdy-sheeters Hebbatu Manja and Seena were also questioned at Vijayapura prison. The SIT suspects that some of the rowdy-sheeters might have supplied the weapon for the crime. Suspecting the use of country-made pistol, the team interacted with many inmates and left in a hurry. The team had also visited two more jails on Wednesday and questioned a few inmates convicted under Arms Act. Sources said the team is still exploring whether the pistol used in Kalburgi murder is similar to the one used to kill Gauri.
Vijayapura records highest number of arrests under the Illegal Arms Act with at least 20- 30 of them getting registered every year. Police are also interacting with some of the reformed Maoists in a bid to obtain information in connection with their probe into Naxal angle.
Plaint over NCC cadets taking part in Gauri protest
Bengaluru: Citizens for Democracy, a Bengaluru-based organisation, has filed a complaint with the Ministry for Human Resource Development against St Joseph’s College. In a written complaint, the organisation alleged that the NCC cadets of the college took part in a rally held in the city recently condemning the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. The complaint says, “We write to bring to your notice, a grave dereliction of discipline and conduct by the NCC unit of St Joseph’s college where the said unit participated in a political protest march against the union government, flouting all norms of discipline and conduct of National Cadet Corps as prescribed under NCC Act 1948 and rules made thereunder.” They requested MHRD to conduct a proper inquiry into the issue and initiate action against the college and the NCC officers of the unit for having made cadets participate. “The participation of NCC cadets from the said institution in full uniform was covered by many news organisations and the videos of cadets shouting slogans along with other political activists have been circulated widely on social media,” the complaint says. Authorities of St Joseph’s College did not respond.