Naxalites Have No Role in Gauri Lankesh Murder Case: Ex-Naxalites

Bengaluru: Ex-Naxalite Noor Shridhar has rejected the reports which claimed social activist, senior journalist Gauri Lankesh might have murdered by naxalites and added, the deceased hasn’t faced any threat from the naxalites even if she worked to bring them into mainstream in Karnataka. No naxalite has murdered the journalist and no evidences to prove the allegations as suspected by the state home minister, Noor Shridhar pointed out. He was speaking at a press conference with his companion, another ex-naxalite Sirimane Nagaraj in Bengaluru on Monday.

Gauri Lankesh had contact with naxalite groups in Karnataka since 2004 and naxalites have great respect to Gauri Lankesh and her social activism, Shridhar pointed out. He recalled that, he and his companion another ex-naxalite Sirimane Nagaraj came into mainstream of the society after months’ long efforts by Gauri Lankesh.

Sharing his opinion on the cause of murder of senior journalist, Noor Shridhar urged the state government to turn its attention on other angles by replacing its present attention on naxalites. No journalists or government officials killed by naxalites since such groups emerged in Karnataka.

He urged the investigation team, media, state government and general public not to concentrate on naxalites inconnection with the murder, instead concentrate on other organisations including right wing outfits in the country. Ex-naxalite also alleged that, naxalite Vikram Gowda is innocent in the murder case and unnecessarily targeted even if he is working hard to uplift the members of the tribal communities in Karnataka.