The 55-year-oldrespected prominent journalist and an outspoken critic of Hindu nationalists was shot dead outside her home in Rajarajeshwarinagar in northern Bengaluru, Karnataka, as she returned from work. Three unidentified gunmen on a motorbike fired at least four shots at her as she entered through the gate of her home. Lankesh died at the scene after receiving gunshots to the head and chest. The gunmen fled the scene.

Local officials have said they suspected she had been under surveillance from the gunmen. Her death has been widely,with Karnataka state's chief minister Siddaramaiah calling it an "assassination on democracy".

The journalist, known as Gauri, worked for The Times of India and later ran an independent newspaper, Lankesh Patrike, along with her brother Indrajit for several years. The newspaper had been founded by her father, P Lankesh, a left-wing poet and writer. After a split with her brother, she left to start several publications, including her own newspaper Gauri Lankesh Patrike.