Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 15: The special investigating team (SIT) formed to probe murder of journalist, Gauri Lankesh, has been trying to achieve progress in the investigation by working from several angles. Now they are making an efort to find out details of people from the city having country made pistols with 7.65 mm bore, in a bid to identify the culprits involved with this murder.

It is gathered that two senior Scotland Yard officials have arrived to help the SIT in its probe. These two officials, who reportedly have expertise in technical investigation, came here on Wednesday. They have been provided with all the details about the case, investigation undertaken so far, and progress made. It is said that these officials are in possession of advanced software and they can help in providing high quality technical assistance including making CCTV footage obtained in this case visible with better clarity.

As per information, criminal investigation department has also summoned help from Scotland Yard in an effort to crack murder case of Prof Kalburgi. They are hopeful that these officials would be able to help them to reach to a logical conclusion in the case.

Illegal arms traders

The SIT in the meantime, wants to question illegal arms traders and rowdy sheeters towards its effort to zero in on the culprits involved with the murder. A few people who already are in judicial custody relating to use of illegal arms would also be interrogated in an effort to elicit more information. They believe killers of Gauri would have procured pistol from either rowdy sheeters or illegal arms dealers. It is learnt that 7.65 mm pistols are used by most of the criminals in the state because of easy availability of ammunition. Police have so far been able to trace 15 out of 26 pistols which were sold as per the information of dealers.

Police said they have already visited lodges in the city to collect information about people who hired rooms before September 5 and checked out on that day. A cellphone recovered near Gauri's house was handed over to forensic science laboratory for examination.

The SIT has recorded statements of some former Naxals. They also questioned real estate agent, Arun, who reportedly pressurized Indira Lankesh to sell the land she owned at Nelamangala to him.

New lead

The police have also succeeded in tracing a man and a woman who were with Gauri Lankesh from 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm on the fateful day of her murder, after which she had left for home. The duo along with Gauri had partied at the Patrike office, it is gathered. The two have been identified as Madhu from Lingarajapuram and Kalpana from Hennur. Sources said that the two, who are out of the city, will appear before SIT on Saturday to record their statements.Both Madhu and Kalpana had not informed the police that they were with Gauri on that day until the police found this out through telephone records.