BENGALURU: Two weeks before noted Kannada scholar M M Kalburgi was shot dead in Dharwad on Sunday, gunmen had visited the house of another Kannada writer, Yogesh Master.
“Two men tried to enter my house. I grew suspicious and did not open the door. It is unfortunate that they have now targeted Kalburgi,” Yogesh Master, author of Dundhi, told Express.
He said he could recognise the modus operandi.
After Kalburgi’s murder, Ramanagaram police have provided police security for Yogesh Master and posted a policeman at his house.
“First, the bike-borne men came on the pretext of giving me an invitation. The second time, they claimed Hiremath sir had sent a book,” he said. It was not clear which Hiremath they were referring to.
One of the two said his name was Manjunath and he was a native of Vijayapura (Bijapur). “When I called him inside, he was scared. I noticed he was sweating as he spoke to me,” he said.
He said the same duo had visited him four times. “Once, they came after my wife left home. I observed one of them was wearing a helmet and the pillion rider was wearing a gold-colour wig and was carrying a weapon,” Yogesh Master added. He said he had kept the police informed.