People hold placards and candles during a vigil for Gauri Lankesh, a senior Indian journalist who according to police was shot dead outside her home on Tuesday by unidentified assailants in Bangalore, India, September 6, 2017
One of India's most prominent journalists was shot dead on Tuesday by unidentified attackers at her home in the city of Bangalore.
Gauri Lankesh, 55, was found dead on the doorstep of her home in a pool of blood. Police are searching for two attackers who left on a motorcycle. Lankesh was buried with full state honors — her body in glass case decorated with marigolds. Protests and candlelit vigils were held in her memory across the country.
Lankesh was famous across India for campaigning against the influence of religion on Indian politics. She was particularly opposed to the right-wing Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to journalist Anoo Bhuyan, Lankesh was the victim of frequent death and assault threats on social media.
"These [threats] do not always translate into the real world, but they create an atmosphere that is intimidating and stifling, especially for woman journalists," Bhuyan says. "For young journalists like me, Ghauri was really remarkable and exceptional because [for her] the fear of death threats and fear of assault — none of it mattered. There was a bigger picture."
Hear more about journalist Gauri Lankesh in The World's interview with Anoo Bhuyan above.