After nearly one year of the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, Karnataka police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified its search and with the arrest of the accused there seems to be a similarity between the killing of her and rationalist MM Kalburgi, who was shot dead three years ago (30 August 2015).

SIT is probing the Gauri murder case whereas CID is investigating Kalburgi’s killing. The probe team, while dealing with the Gauri case, is said to have found that the same people are likely to be involved in the murder of Kalburgi too.

The reports so far state that Amol Kale, Amit Degvekar, Rajesh Bangera, Ganesh Miskin, who have been arrested on charges of killing Gauri are the likely suspects to be involved in Kalburgi murder too. Currently, SIT is probing into the details.

Though more details in this regard are yet to be made public, the State government is now contemplating on handing over the Kalburgi case to SIT, which has made prominent arrests and has got major breakthrough in the Gauri murder case.

Both Gauri and Kalburgi were killed in a similar way. They were shot dead at point blank range just outside their house. The way these both killings were planned, the use of two men on bike, use of pistol also has a similarity.

Developments in Gauri Lankesh murder case:

SIT has intensified its questioning of Kale, Degvekar, Bangera and Miskin, who are considered to be the major players in the killing of Gauri.

Amol Kale is from Maharashtra and an engineering graduate. He was arrested in Davanagere, Karnataka on 21 May . Dagvekar is a real estate agent from Pune and was closely associated with Kale. He is supposed to have observed Gauri's activities and notified Kale about them.

Another suspect Miskin was arrested in Hubballi on 2 June. He is suspected to be riding the bike along with the shooter. He was working in an incense stick production company.

Bangera was arrested on 23 July and was working in the education department as a second division assistant. He is accused of training the shooter.