Bengaluru: Gauri Lankesh, a senior journalist, has been shot dead here at her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

The Bengaluru Police Commissioner has confirmed the tragedy. According to officials, unidentified men shot at the journalist's forehead three times from close range and she died instantaneously on the spot. The incident occurred around 8:30 PM.

A fearless journalist, Gauri ran 'Lankesh Patrike', a Kannada tabloid. She was an independent and outspoken journalist who had been under attack from people who had ideological differences.

Breaking news: Gauri Lankesh, journalist and a critic of Hindutva politics, has been shot dead in Bengaluru. Very disturbing.
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) September 5, 2017

Shocked & angry - after Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi, journalist @gaurilankesh bravely writing against Sangh, shot dead in Bengaluru
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) September 5, 2017

BJP IT Cell head openly threatening journalists, including Lankesh who was shot dead today. https://t.co/VRkPQYyvGU
— Kakul (@kakulprasher) September 5, 2017

If first reports that three hit men came to her home in a car & shot Gauri Lankesh dead are true, this is a professional hit on a journalist https://t.co/yljvAgCP5d
— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) September 5, 2017

Brave Journalist Gauri lankesh was fighting against BJP from 2009 and today she's shot dead. RIP
— Abhishek Mishra (@meamabhishek) September 5, 2017

Journalist Gauri Lankesh, known critic of Hindu right-wing extremism, shot dead in Bengaluru via @htTweets https://t.co/grvVWXlz2h
— yogesh sherman (@yogeshsherman) September 5, 2017

Further details are awaited.