Dabholkar's killers considered gun 'lucky', didn't destroy it: sources


New Delhi, Aug 29(PTI): One of the weapons probably used in the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar five years ago was not destroyed by the alleged killers as they believed it was "lucky" for them, CBI sources said.

The weapon could have also been used in the murder of other left leaning activists like Govind Pansare in February 2015, MM Kalburgi in August 2015, and Gauri Lankesh in September last year, they said, however, adding with caution that any conclusion can only be drawn after a confirmatory ballistic test of the firearm.

The agency recently arrested and questioned Aurangabad-resident Sachin Andure who is alleged to be one of the two shooters involved in the killing of Narendra Dabholkar on August 20, 2013, in Pune while on his morning walk, they said.

A country-made pistol was also recovered from a friend of his relative by the CBI which is believed to be one of the weapons used in the murder, they said.

The CBI will send the weapon for ballistic tests to ascertain the claims of Andure before reaching any conclusions in the case as the investigators believe that his claims cannot be taken on face value, they said.

During the questioning, Andure has claimed that the right wing group believed to be behind the killings had over a dozen of such weapons to execute their nefarious plans.

When asked why this particular pistol which he is claiming to have been used in the killing of Narendra Dabholkar was not destroyed even after five years, he indicated that it was a "lucky" weapon used in different killings.

The agency now wants to question alleged killers involved in the murder of noted writer and journalist Gauri Lankesh, they said, adding that it is also seeking custody of Sharad Kalaskar, arrested by the Maharashtra ATS.

Sharad Kalaskar was arrested during an operation of the ATS to bust a right wing extremist module plan to carry out multiple attacks on the occasion of Independence Day.

After the arrests, the ATS had claimed that it had seized a huge cache of explosive materials and country-made firearms during raids at various places in the state.

It was during the interrogation of Kalaskar that the involvement of Andure in Dabholkar's killing surfaced.

This input was passed on to the CBI which had arrested Andure from Maharashtra.

The CBI has a strong theory that killings of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and Narendra Dabholkar could be linked as modus operandi and ammunition used in the murders is similar, they said.

The CBI is probing the murder of Narendra Dabholkar while that of Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh are being investigated by state agencies of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Truth Teller, Karnataka

    Wed, Aug 29 2018

    Those people who said innocents are being framed and real culprits are roaming free are now quiet!!!!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr.S.Kamath, Mumbai

    Wed, Aug 29 2018

    Law of the land should take strict action on Murderers irrespective of their affiliations to send strong message to the Community at large
    Once left they will feel like committing crime again and again
    Just after Narendra Dhabolkar murder on 20 August 2013 itself if UPA at centre and Congress in Maharshtra if had nabbed the killers then Pansare ,Kalburgi,Gauri Lankesh killings would not have happened
    Prosecute them and then give strict punishement like Hanging to these murderers

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • David Pais, Mangalore

    Wed, Aug 29 2018

    v don't want apology from da killers. punishment is required 2 da killers.

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Aug 29 2018

    Just like our BJP Idiots ...

    DisAgree [4] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Wed, Aug 29 2018

    Dhabolkar' s killers are following ISIS culture..

    DisAgree [2] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Katapadi/Bangalore

    Wed, Aug 29 2018

    This is really a solid evidence to push the person involved in the crime behind the bars.This is nothiing but a kind of imitating jheadi culture.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Dabholkar's killers considered gun 'lucky', didn't destroy it: sources



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