Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 28: In a confession statement made to the state police, Sharad Kalaskar, accused in rationalist and thinker Narendra Dabholkar's murder which happened six years ago, has confessed to have also taken part in the murder of Gauri Lankesh and thinker Govind Pansare.

Karnataka police have prepared a 14-page report on the statement made by Kalaskar. As per the report, Kalaskar was contacted by some rightist leaders, and apprised him about use of arms and making of bombs. "Main accused in the case, Veerendra Tavade, too contacted me and told me that some wicked people in the society need to be eliminated. He asked me to kill Dabholkar which I obeyed. I took part in a few meetings on the issue of murdering Gauri Lankesh. At a meeting held at Belagavi during August 2017, a list of anti-Hindu leaders had been prepared. Name of Gauri Lankesh was one among them. Within a month thereafter, Gauri was killed. Name of the then Bombay high court judge, B G Kolse Patil, was in the list," Kalaskar confessed.

Kalaskar was arrested during October last year on the charge of running a unit manufacturing pistol at Nallasopara in Palghar district. During his interrogation in Gauri Lankesh murder case, he revealed about his role in this murder, it has transpired.