"Shocked to learn about murder of tall progressive force & senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. Such cold blooded acts deserve highest condemnation," tweeted Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. "I have spoken with the DGP, and instructed him to ensure prompt and thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice."
An outspoken journalist, Lankesh was convicted of defamation and was sentenced to six months in jail by a lower court in Dharwad after she carried an article against BJP MP from Dharwad Prahlad Joshi. However, the court also granted her bail and allowed her to appeal to a higher court.
She had ideological differences with the BJP, often questioning its activities in the state. Gauri was also in the forefront in taking on right wing activism.
In 2015, M M Kallburgi, a former vice chancellor of Kannada University, who was against right wing activism was shot dead similarly outside his residence in Dharwad.
Gauri was daughter of firebrand journalist P Lankesh, whose writings in his tabloid Lankesh Patrike had rocked the state politics in the 1980's. Her brother Indrajit Lankesh continues the publication, after the duo split. Gauri branched to start her own publication, while her sister Kavita Lankesh is a film maker.
Breaking news: Gauri Lankesh, journalist and a critic of Hindutva politics, has been shot dead in Bengaluru. Very disturbing.
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep)
September 5, 2017
Absolutely shocked to learn about the murder of renowned journalist Gauri Lankesh. I have no words to condemn this heinous crime.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah)
September 5, 2017 
 "Gauri Lankesh")