CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke meets Gauri Lankesh’s kin in Bengaluru, calls them his ‘new family’

After meeting Gauri Lankesh’s sister and niece in Bengaluru, CJP's Abhijeet Dipke thanked them for their affection and said he was leaving with a new family.

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Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke met journalist Gauri Lankesh’s sister, Kavitha Lankesh, and niece, Esha Lankesh, in Bengaluru and described them as his “new family” in a post on X on Friday, a day after the party’s protest in the city.

Sharing a photograph with Kavitha and Esha, Dipke said he was leaving Bengaluru with fond memories and expressed gratitude for the warmth and affection he had received during his visit.

“Leaving Bengaluru with so much love in my heart. The warmth, affection and kindness I’ve received over the last two days have been truly overwhelming. Sending a big hug to my new family, Kavitha Lankesh and Esha Lankesh. I came here as a stranger and am leaving with a family I know I’ll keep coming back to. ❤️,” he wrote.

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Dipke also thanked actor-activist Prakash Raj and CJP national secretary Aafreen Nawaz, whom he referred to as his “elder sister”, for inviting him to Bengaluru and introducing him to the city’s warmth and generosity. He said they had given him not just beautiful memories but also a home to return to.

Read the post here:

A day earlier, Kavitha Lankesh had also praised Dipke in a post on X, saying that if her sister Gauri had been alive, she would have declared him her “adopted son” and stood alongside the CJP members, whom she referred to as “Cockroaches”.

Read the post here:

Gauri Lankesh: Journalist-activist assassinated in 2017

Gauri Lankesh was a senior Kannada journalist and editor of Gauri Lankesh Patrike. She was shot dead outside her home in Bengaluru on the evening of September 5, 2017. The daughter of noted poet and journalist P Lankesh, she was known for her criticism of Hindu right-wing extremism.

In the murder case, 17 of the 18 accused have been released on bail, while one remains absconding. Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar was granted bail in 2025. Earlier, N Mohan Nayak, alias Sampanje, was granted bail in December 2023, followed by several other accused, including Bharat Kurane, Srikanth Pangarkar, Amit Dighvekar, KT Naveen Kumar and Suresh HL.

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In October 2024, a Bengaluru sessions court had granted bail to eight other accused: Amol Kale, Rajesh Bangera, Vasudev Suryawanshi, Rushikesh Devadekar, Parshuram Waghmore, Ganesh Miskin, Amith Ramachandra Baddi and Manohar Dundeepa Yadave.

Gauri Lankesh’s mother, Indira Lankesh, a writer, publisher and entrepreneur, died in July this year.

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  Prerna is a Contributor at Hindustan Times, with an academic background in English literature. After completing her BA in English at Gargi College, she went on to pursue an MA in English from JNU, where she developed a strong foundation in critical thinking and research, and a deeper engagement with cultural and social questions. She previously interned with the Indian Express at the Education Desk. Her writing and research interests span culture, literature, art, and education, with a particular focus on Indian speculative fiction and its intersections with gender and queerness. Her academic background informs her approach to writing, combining research with clear, accessible communication. Outside of work and academia, Prerna is an avid reader and enjoys birdwatching.Read More