Two arrested with gun similar to the one used in Gauri Lankesh killing
The special investigation team probing Journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case are interested in questioning the arms dealer.
In Short
- The two were arrested for illegal possession of arms and for allegedly plotting to kill a journalist.
- The SIT has requested the crime branch the custody of the weapon to send it for ballistic analysis.
- Not just Lankesh but also MM Kalburgi's murderers had used country made 7.65mm pistol.
Bengaluru city crime branch arrested two people, Tahir Hussain and Sashidhar Mundewadi for illegal possession of arms and for allegedly plotting to kill a journalist in the city after receiving supari from editor Ravi Belegere of Hi Bangalore.
The special investigation team probing Journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case are interested in questioning the arms dealer and the sharpshooter as a 7.65 mm bore country made weapon was seized by them and the same type of country made 7.65mm weapon was used in Gauri's murder.
The SIT has requested the crime branch the custody of the weapon to send it for ballistic analysis.
Not just Lankesh but also MM Kalburgi's murderers had used country made 7.65mm pistol.
The SIT which has been tracking the origin of illegal country made weapons will probe the modus operandi as Kalburgi and Lankesh both were killed by country made pistols by two men on a bike.
Accused Tahir was picked up by the crime branch on Sunday where he had possessed illegal weapon and he tipped off the police about selling a weapon to Sashidhar who was subsequently nabbed. Sashidhar during questioning, confessed to the police that he was hired by editor Ravi Belegere to murder an employee and they were planning on using a 7.65mm pistol.
"Sashidhar is already in custody of SIT and is being questioned. Part of Crime branch are also in SIT," said Suneel Kumar, Bangalore Police Commissioner.
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