In a shocking incident, senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, a well-known critic of the right wing forces, was shot dead at her house in Bengaluru. Four people entered her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and attacked the scribe after which she collapsed on the spot.

Gauri Lankesh was the editor of weekly tabloid magazine Lankesh Patrike, columnist in newspapers, a panelist on TV channels besides being an activist.

Lankesh was critical of the Hindutva brigade and was last year convicted in a defamation case filed by MP Pralhad Joshi who had objected to a report against BJP leaders.

Lankesh's brother Indrajit Lankesh told India Today that the case should be handed over to CBI as she had several defamation cases against her. "She was facing a number of defamation cases. The culprit should be handed over to the CBI," said Indrajit.