Hours after prominent Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh, known for her strong views against Hindutva politics, was shot dead in cold blood by unidentified men right outside her residence, men and women from the media plan to start a wave of protests across Indian cities against her murder, and creeping extremism in creative spaces.
Gauri, 55, was opening the gate of her residence at 8 PM last night, PTI reported, when motorcycle-borne men pumped three bullets into her — two hitting her in the chest and one on her forehead — as neighbours rushed to their balconies hearing the shots. She died on the spot.
Gauri, who was the editor of the Kannada tabloid 'Gauri Lankesh Patrike', and had been instrumental in rehabilitating surrendered Naxalites, had faced repeated threats to her life. Her death brings back chilling memories of the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and MM Kalburgi.
Read: Undaunted Till The End, Gauri Lankesh Will Be Remembered For Her Gutsy Journalism
Read: Gauri Lankesh's Murder Investigation Should Be Handed Over To CBI, Says Brother
Daughter of celebrated poet-turned-journalist and writer P Lankesh, Gauri was the proverbial trouble-maker — in the best and the noblest sense of the term — for the State, writes Somak Ghoshal. Journalists took to Twitter to mourn her death and protest against attack on press freedom.
Here's a list of protests scheduled across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities to protest Lankesh's murder.
Bengaluru, Sept 6
8:45 AM: Naik Bhavan
10:30 AM, 5 PM: Townhall
11:30 AM: Press Club
3 PM: SDPI at Mysore Bank circle
Mangalore, Sept 6:
9 AM: Jyothi Circle by CFI
4 PM: Townhall
5 PM: DC office
Udupi, Sept 6:
5 PM: Clock Tower
Mandya, Sept 6:
10 AM: Rally from Silver Jubilee Park
Gulbarga, Sept 6:
10:30 AM: Mini Vidhan Soudha
Dharwad, Sept 6:
10 AM: From Dr. MM Kalburgi's house in Kalyan Nagar
11 AM: Dharwad district press club
Gadag, Sept 6:
10 AM: Thondadarya Math, in Annegeri Taluk
Delhi, Sept 6:
11 AM: Press Club
12 PM: Jantar Mantar
12:30 PM: Press Club
3 PM: Press Club
Delhi, Sept 7:
4 PM: Jantar Mantar
Mumbai, Sept 6:
5 PM and 6 PM: Amphitheater, Carter Road, Bandra
Pune, Sept 6:
4 PM: Opposite SP college in Sadashiv Peth
Hyderabad, Sept 6:
4 PM: Sunderayya Vignana Kendram
Chennai, Sept 6:
11 AM: Press Club
Kerala, Sept 6:
4 PM: Manaveeyam veedhi Trivandrum
6 PM: High Court junction
Chandigarh, Sept 6:
12 PM: Press Club
Lucknow, Sept 6:
5 PM: Gandhi Statue, Hazratganj
Lucknow, Sept 7:
5:30 PM: GPO
Gorakhpur, Sept 6:
4 PM: Pant Park
Kolkata, Sept 6:
6 PM: Press Club
Goa, Sept 6:
3 PM: Azad Maidan, Panaji
7:30 PM: Miramar, Panaji