A prominent Indian journalist critical of Hindu nationalist politics has been shot dead in the southern state of Karnataka, police say.
Gauri Lankesh, 55, was found lying in a pool of blood on her doorstep in the city of Bangalore.
She was shot in the head and chest by gunmen who arrived by motorcycle. The motive for the crime was not clear.
The most high profile Indian journalist murdered in recent years, Ms Lankesh was buried with full state honours.
The chief minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, was among those who attended the funeral.
There were also protests against her killing in several Indian cities, including the capital, Delhi.
Indian reporters are being increasingly targeted by radical Hindu nationalists, activists say.
In the last few years, journalists seen to be critical of Hindu nationalists have been berated on social media, while many women reporters have been threatened with rape and assault.
Ministers belonging to India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also openly attacked journalists, using terms like "presstitute" (a mix of press and prostitute) to describe them.
Ms Lankesh had returned home in her car on Tuesday night and was opening the gate when the attackers shot her, police said. She died on the spot.
Officials said they suspected she had been under surveillance by the gunmen. An investigation has been opened.
Her killing follows several assassinations of outspoken secularists or rationalists in recent years, including scholar Malleshappa Kalburgi, anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, and author-politician Govind Pansare.
The watchdog Reporters Without Borders said that radical nationalist journalists have targeted other writers, with online smear campaigns and threats of physical reprisals.
"With Hindu nationalists trying to purge all manifestations of 'anti-national' thought from the national debate, self-censorship is growing in the mainstream media," the group said.
Culled from BBC News.
Gauri Lankesh, 55, was found lying in a pool of blood on her doorstep in the city of Bangalore.
She was shot in the head and chest by gunmen who arrived by motorcycle. The motive for the crime was not clear.
The most high profile Indian journalist murdered in recent years, Ms Lankesh was buried with full state honours.
The chief minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, was among those who attended the funeral.
There were also protests against her killing in several Indian cities, including the capital, Delhi.
Indian reporters are being increasingly targeted by radical Hindu nationalists, activists say.
In the last few years, journalists seen to be critical of Hindu nationalists have been berated on social media, while many women reporters have been threatened with rape and assault.
Ministers belonging to India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also openly attacked journalists, using terms like "presstitute" (a mix of press and prostitute) to describe them.
Officials said they suspected she had been under surveillance by the gunmen. An investigation has been opened.
Her killing follows several assassinations of outspoken secularists or rationalists in recent years, including scholar Malleshappa Kalburgi, anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, and author-politician Govind Pansare.
The watchdog Reporters Without Borders said that radical nationalist journalists have targeted other writers, with online smear campaigns and threats of physical reprisals.
"With Hindu nationalists trying to purge all manifestations of 'anti-national' thought from the national debate, self-censorship is growing in the mainstream media," the group said.
Culled from BBC News.
No comments:
Post a Comment