One arrested in Gauri Lankesh murder case
Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team probing the murder of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh has arrested one person in connection with the case.
Rushikesh Devdikar alias Murali, 44, who was absconding was arrested on Thursday from his hideout at Katras in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand, the SIT said in a statement.
According to the probe team, Devdikar was part of the conspiracy to kill Lankesh. He is accused number 18 in the case. "His house is being searched for clues. He will be produced before the jurisdictional Judicial Magistrate tomorrow (Friday)," the SIT said.
Lankesh was shot dead on September 5, 2017 outside her house by a member of a gang that apparently planned to kill her after being inspired by a book brought out by right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha, that had identified Lankesh as a 'durjan' (evil person).
Investigators said the gang had also prepared a list of people whom they wanted to kill. The list included noted playwright Girish Karnad and rationalist K S Bhagawan.
The SIT had found that Lankesh was killed after a conspiracy was hatched by members of a right-wing group, which is also accused of killing rationalist M M Kalburgi.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
