Karnataka announces Rs 5 lakh reward for information on Kalburgi murder case

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the government has announced Rs five lakh to those who could provide clues about the murder of noted Kannada progressive writer and scholar M M Kalburgi.

The government has decided to give a reward of Rs five lakh to whoever gives information about Kalburgi's murder.

The identities of the informants would be kept secret, he told reporters here after meeting the families of Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, the rationalists who were killed in Maharashtra, and Kalburgi, who was shot dead at Dharward in Karnataka on August 30.

The families during their meeting with the Chief Minister demanded speedy investigation into the case and were assured by him that the culprits would soon booked.

"I told the relatives that the investigation is underway and we are hopeful of hunting down the killers," he said adding that CID is probing the matter.

"The relatives met me and demanded expediting the investigation to hunt down the culprits and find out who were the forces behind Kalburgi's murder. Already we have taken up the case very seriously. In this regard, we have formed eight teams who are investigating the case," he said.

Asked whether the relatives demanded handing over the case to CBI, Siddaramaiah said there was "more clamour" for CID probe than CBI and hence "we did not give it to the latter."

Siddaramaiah also said the government will take stringent action against people who indulge in making instigating remarks and speeches.

Siddaramaiah also assured the family members of passing the anti-superstition bill in Karnataka assembly after examining the Maharashtra anti-superstition bill.

"The family members also demanded to immediately pass anti-superstition bill ... we are examining the Maharashtra anti-superstition bill," he said.