Gauri Lankesh murder was code named 'event', says alleged killer

Mumbai: The man who was arrested on Thursday for the murders of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and journalist Gauri Lankesh gave a meticulous account of the preparations and conspiracy behind it, reported NDTV.

Sharad Kalaskar, who has been charged in Gauri Lankesh's case, claimed to have been linked to the right-wing men who had planned all the murders.

In his confession to the Karnataka police, he has also claimed to be the shooter who killed Narendra Dhabolkar.

Giving the details of the murders, Kalaskar was involved in the planning and logistics. He was given the responsibility of disposing of the weapon used in the crime.

On the evening of September 5, 2017, the 26-year-old had pumped four bullets into the journalist as she was opening her front gate after returning home from work.

In his confession, Kalaskar said in August 2016, there was a meeting in Belgaum where the names of people working against Hinduism were listed. During that meeting, Gauri Lankesh’s name came up and it was decided that she has to be killed.

The detailed plan was made at a meeting at home of Bharat Kurne, who is one of the accused in the case and played an active role in the conspiracy.

On the first day of the meeting, Amol Kale gave the attendees different responsibilities. The murder was code named "Event".

Days later, Sharad Kalaskar, Parshuram Waghmare alias builder and another accused Mithun along with Bharat Kurne went to the hills near in Bharat Kurne home to practice shooting.

Amol Kale has also been arrested and charged with conspiracy in the murder of Gauri Lankesh.

After the murder, Kalaskar had disposed of the gun - disassembled and thrown into three different parts of a creek near the Mumbai-Nashik Highway.

Sharad Kalaskar was arrested last October in connection with an arms haul in Maharashtra's Nallasopara. But during investigation, his connection to the murder of the rationalists surfaced.