Bengaluru: More than four years after journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by motorcycle-borne men outside her house here, the trial in the case is set to start from May 27, the prosecution lawyer said.
"The hearing of the case had not started yet. It will start now from May 27," senior advocate S Balan told PTI.
According to him, more than 60 lawyers were engaged initially by the accused, and their petitions delayed commencement of the trial.
Balan said 17 accused including the alleged kingpin Amol Kale, shooter Waghmore and the motorcycle rider Ganesh Miskin would face the trial while one more accused is at large.
Gauri's sister Kavitha Lankesh expressed her happiness over the beginning of the trial.
"Till now hearing was going on related to bail applications. Now we are happy that the trial is beginning", she said.
On the Teachers' Day on September 5, 2017 Gauri, a left leaning journalist, was shot dead outside her house.
The assailants were reportedly inspired by 'Kshatra Dharma Sadhana', an 86-page book by 'Sanatana Sanstha'.
On 5 September 2017, three unidentified men shot Gauri to death at her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore. The men fired at least seven bullets at her at around 8 p.m. while she was unlocking the main door of her house after returning from her office.
One of the killers, who was waiting for her near her house, fired the first shots at her, while the two others, who are suspected to have followed her from her office, joined the initial shooter thereafter.
The killers were wearing helmets and escaped on a two-wheeler Honda Dio after the murder. Three of the bullets pierced Gauri's head, neck, and chest, resulting in her death at the scene.
The murder was condemned by several people and organisations, including the Indian National Congress and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The Congress leader and Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy compared the murder to that of Narendra Dabholkar and M. M. Kalburgi.
Controversial statements by BJP MLA D. N. Jeevaraj and Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik were widely criticized. The state police chief, R. K. Dutta, refused to suggest any possible suspects without investigation.
The BJP leader K. S. Eshwarappa criticised the Congress-led state government for allegedly failing to protect the lives of Gauri and other writers like Kalburgi.
Protests over her death took place all across India, including a rally in Bangalore a week after the funeral attended by more than 25,000 people.
Gauri was given a state funeral with a gun salute on 6 September, after her body was kept for a few hours at Ravindra Kalakshetra for the public to pay tribute. She was buried in accordance with Lingayat customs. Her family did not follow any religious customs for her as she identified as a rationalist.
(with inputs from PTI)
