Parshuram Waghmore, who shot and killed journalist Gauri Lankesh on September 5, 2017, and co-accused Manohar Yadve were felicitated by Sangh Parivar and Shri Rama Sene activists in Vijayapura on October 11, after their release on bail.
On October 9, a Bengaluru Sessions court granted bail to a total of eight accused in Gauri Lankesh’s murder, including the alleged mastermind Amol Kale and the getaway driver Ganesh Miskin. Others who were granted bail include Amith Baddi, Rajesh D Bangera, Vasudev Suryawanshi, Manohar Yadave, and Rishikesh Deodikar. With this order, 16 of the 18 people accused of orchestrating Gauri’s murder are now out on bail."
After being released from Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara on October 11, Waghmore and Yadve headed to Vijayapura where they hail from, according to Kannada daily Vartha Bharathi. They offered pooja in Kalika temple in Vijayapura town and were garlanded by Sangh Parivar and Shri Rama Sene activists. Later, they went to the Shivaji statue at Shivaji circle and garlanded the statue.
In a three-part series, TNM had reported on how three of the main accused plotted and carried out the murder.
The accused came into contact with each other around 2010, and met regularly. During one of those meetings in June 2016 at a rented house in Belagavi, some of the accused watched a video from a public event in Mangaluru where Gauri had made a speech. This set off a chain of events that eventually led to Gauri’s murder.
The first part of the series profiled Amol Kale’s transformation from an engineer to a hard core Hindutva activist who plotted the murder, and recruited others to carry it out.
In the second story in the series, TNM tracked the story of Parashuram Waghmore, who earned the nickname ‘Builder’ due to his muscular physique and a penchant for bodybuilding. He was also a rowdy sheeter with cases against him in his hometown of Sindagi in Vijayapura, including the Pakistan flag hoisting case that led to his arrest. In his confession statement, Parashuram said that he had protested alongside his friends from the Sri Ram Sena when a 14-year-old boy from his neighbourhood took his life after alleged abuse by Muslim boys. This incident, he said, further fuelled his resolve to 'fight for his religion.'
While Amol Kale, Parashuram Waghmore and Ganesh Miskin were the alleged mastermind, shooter and getaway driver, the other accused carried out several tasks such as surveillance, arranging logistics, vehicles and accommodation.
While Amol Kale, Parashuram Waghmore and Ganesh Miskin were the alleged mastermind, shooter and getaway driver, the other accused carried out several tasks such as surveillance, arranging logistics, vehicles and accommodation.
N Mohan Nayak was the first accused to be given bail in December 2023. This was followed by Amit Dighvekar, KT Naveen Kumar, and Suresh HL who were given bail on July 16. Bharat Kurane, Srikanth Pangarkar, Sujith Kumar and Sudhanva Gondhalekar were granted bail on September 4.
Of the 18 accused, Sharad Kalaskar, is serving a sentence after being convicted of Narendra Dabholkar’s murder, while Vikas Patil was never arrested.
