Bengaluru, Feb 11: Investigation into the murder of scholar Dr MM Kalburgi and senior journalist Gauri Lankesh found that a single team was behind the murder of both.

Highly placed sources in CID said that the investigation into the Dr MM Kalburgi murder case reached its final stage and shortly a charge sheet will be submitted to the court.

It is said that the accused in Gauri Lankesh murder case like Amol Kale, Ganesh Miskin, Ramachandra Baddi, Amith, Amith Degwekar, Bharat Kurne, Sudhanva, Rajesh Bangera, Sujith and Sharad Kalaskar also involved in the murder of Dr MM Kalburgi.

Sharad Kalaskar had brought the bike used for killing Kalaburgi. Later, Ganesh Miskin and Ramachandra Baddi had used the same pistol for killing Gauri and Kalaburgi, it was found during the investigation. The accused have reportedly destroyed the pistol, while the SIT and CID have continued to trace the pistol.

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Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.

The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.

Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.

July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.

Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.

Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.

Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.

Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.

HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.

Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.

The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.

Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.

The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.

Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.