Two accused in Gauri Lankesh murder case allege custodial torture

The court has ordered medical examination of both the accused at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru.

Two men, named as accused in the murder case of journalist Gauri Lankesh, have alleged torture in police custody. They made the allegations as they were produced before a court in Bengaluru for the trial in the murder case of the veteran journalist.

Following their complaint, the two accused, Amit Raghavendra Baddi and Ganesh Miski, were sent to judicial custody by the court. It also ordered medical examination of both at Victoria Hospital in the Karnataka capital.

At least 10 people have been arrested till now in connection with the case. The last arrest was made by the police in July when a 50-year-old man, named Rajesh, was arrested from Madikeri district of Karnataka.

Apart from Baddi and Miski, another suspect named Mohan Nayak, 50, was nabbed from Dakshin Kannada district of Karnataka. Parashuram Waghmare, 26, was arrested from Sindhagi in Vijaypura district of the state in June. Waghmare was said to have links with right-wing groups.

KT Naveen Kumar alias Hotte Manja, Amol Kale, Manohar Edve, Sujeeth Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degvekar have also been arrested in the case.

Gauri, known for her strong anti-Hindutva stand, was shot dead in front of her Rajarajeshwari Nagar residence in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017, triggering a nationwide outrage.