Senior journalist shot dead in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Senior Kannada journalist and social activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead on Tuesday night by unidentified men at her residence here, police said.

"We learnt that the victim was shot dead from close range when she was standing at the gate of her house in Rajarajeswari Nagar (in the suburbs) around 8.30 p.m.," a senior police officer in Police Commissioner's office told IANS.

According to witnesses, three bullets were fired at Lankesh's forehead, killing her instantaneously.

"We will set up a special team to investigate the incident," said the official.

Lankesh was the editor of the popular Kannada tabloid "Lankesh Patrike". In November 2016, she was sentenced to six months in jail after a defamation case was filed against her for a report against Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.