Gauri Lankesh murder: Karnataka police seeks help of Telangana intelligence agency
Hyderabad: After rumours spread that Maoists may be behind the murder of activist and journalist Gauri Lankesh, the Karnataka police sought the help of Telangana state anti-Naxal intelligence agency about any information they might have regarding this.
TS anti-Naxal agencies are considered to be the most informed about Maoist activities, with their network of Special Intelligence branch offices across the country. According to the TS agencies, no action team of Maoists is active in Bengaluru.
Usually Maoist killings are done by their own cadres and they do not use contract killers, the police said.
A top source in the TS police said, “The Karnataka police contacted us seeking details of possible murder theories in the Gauri Lankesh case. We have informed them that we don’t have any clues or information that may connect Maoists to the case. Maoists haven’t issued any statement so far. If they had killed they would have owned up which is their modus operandi.”
Interestingly, Maoists haven’t issued any statement condemning or rejecting the allegations that they were behind the Gauri Lankesh murder. A top IPS official said, “Maoists are based in the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala and TN. That’s why it may take time for them to react on this. The tri-junction is a safe haven for them.”
He said Maoists did not have the capability to carry out targeted killings in urban areas. “At this moment their action teams are not active. When they were strong, they killed IPS official Umesh Chandra at SR Nagar crossroads, Hyderabad. in September, 1999. Over the years the capabilities of their action teams and urban striking abilities have decreased drastically.”
