Gauri Lankesh Shot Dead. Sonam Kapoor, Dia Mirza, Shabana Azmi Paid Condolences

New Delhi: Journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was was a fierce activist, was shot dead at her home in Bengaluru by an unidentified person on Tuesday night. Bollywood celebrities have used words like 'shocking', 'devastating' and 'disturbing' to define the unfortunate event and have condemned the death of senior Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh. The stars not only condemned Ms Lankesh's murder, but also the unsolved murder of three other critics like M.M. Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar, who were also shot dead by unidentified men. Actress Shabana Azmi tweeted and wrote: "Gauri Lankesh shot dead outside her home. Shocking, devastating. Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi culprits must be punished."

Here's her tweet:
 

#Gauri Lankesh shot dead outside her home.Shocking Devastating. Dabholkar Pansare Kalburgi Culprits must be punished

— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) September 5, 2017

Actresses like Dia Mirza, Saiyami Kher, Richa Chadha and Sonam Kapoor also paid their condolences to Gauri Lankesh.

Sonam is 'deeply sad and angered' with the murder. She tweeted:
 

Deeply saddened & angered by the #GauriLankeshMurder. It's time we silence violent ideologies & bring the criminals to justice.

— Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) September 6, 2017

Here's what Richa Chadha tweeted:
 

If you have to resort to murder over a difference of opinion,you are afraid.This is Taliban-esque.WE BECOME WHAT WE HATE#RipGauriLankesh

— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) September 6, 2017

Dia Mirza replied to Shabana Azmi's tweet:
 

This is deeply disturbing. Culprits must be found and punished. #GauriLankesh https://t.co/hNeknXAeOi

— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) September 6, 2017

Saiyami Kher tweeted:
 

Lord Ganesh bids us goodbye, watching the death of a gutsy journalist. He must be so glad he's leaving. #GauriLankesh #GaneshVisarjan

— Saiyami Kher (@SaiyamiKher) September 5, 2017

Shabana Azmi's husband poet lyricist Javed Akhtar also condemned Gauri Lankesh's murder:
 

Dhabolkar , Pansare, Kalburgi , and now Gauri Lankesh . If one kind of people are getting killed which kind of people are the killers .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) September 5, 2017

Former Actress Renuka Shahane called Ms Lankesh 'liberal' and 'rational.'
 

Another liberal, rational voice snuffed out by "unidentified assailants". Gauri Lankesh RIP. Dabholkar, Kalburgi, Pansare. Who killed them?

— Renuka Shahane (@renukash) September 5, 2017

Here's what Farhan Akhtar tweeted:
 

Shameful.. what kind of society are we becoming?? Deepest condolences to the family and hope justice is delivered soon. https://t.co/OTh49Gztz8

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) September 6, 2017

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur tweeted and wrote: "To kill someone for their views is not Democracy, its beginnings of a Banana Republic, where violence speaks louder than words."
 

To kill someone for their views is not Democracy, its beginnings of a Banana Republic, where violence speaks louder than words #GauriLankesh

— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) September 6, 2017

Farah Khan's husband Shirish Kunder wrote a powerful message that read : "When "intellectual" becomes an abuse, words are replied with bullets. RIP Gauri Lankesh."
 

When "intellectual" becomes an abuse, words are replied with bullets.

RIP #GauriLankesh.

— Shirish Kunder (@ShirishKunder) September 5, 2017

Gauri Lankesh, 55, was the daughter of P Lankesh, a leading Kannada journalist who founded the Kannada weekly tabloid Lankesh Patrike. Ms Lankesh's siblings - Kavitha and Indrajit Lankesh are film and theatre personalities. She was well known for openly expressing her pro-Naxal and Leftist views.