Former state minister and Kannada writer B.T. Lalitha Naik and other prominent people in Karnataka have received death threats through a letter.
"I received a letter by one Kareem Challakere on March 20, saying that I, along with Kannada actor Shivarajkumar, Public TV editor H. R. Ranganath and BJP national general secretary C. T. Ravi will be assassinated on May 1. I have been given police protection," revealed Naik speaking at an event on Sunday.
Naik added the letter appeared to be a prank. It claimed that the killers of Gauri Lankesh and M.M. Kalaburgi had been hired for the task. "The letter says two persons—Mohammad Resul from Kerala and Mustafa Ali Khan from Hassan—have hired the professional killers to assassinate us and adds that we should be given protection," said Naik.
Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai admitted that death threats have been issued to some prominent persons.
"We have come to know of the death threats to some prominent people including a minister. Lalitha Naik is a former minister, senior writer and a respected person in society. We have taken the matter very seriously. A thorough investigation will be conducted, and stringent action will be taken against the culprits," said Bommai.
