Women’s delegation seeks action on alleged Dharmasthala murders

Bengaluru: An all-women’s delegation consisting of writers, filmmakers, activists and scholars met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday with a set of demands in connection with alleged mass murders in Dharmasthala being probed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). 

Primarily, the delegation demanded the protection of SIT’s independence in the Dharmasthala investigation, re-investigation of past cases and deaths of witnesses, “especially cases, like Soujanya, Padmalatha and Yamuna/Narayana, where the killers were identified and investigated but the cases were closed”. 

The other demands were: action against negligent officials, establish an independent support group to ensure gender justice and accountability, protection for complainants and witnesses, strict action against those obstructing investigations, long-term measures to expedite the implementation of the Ugrappa Committee report and to proceed with the implementation of the Verma Committee report, implement appropriate and strict security measures for women’s safety, form internal committees in religious institutions of all faiths and healthy sex education. 

The government in July formed the SIT headed by Director General of Police (DGP) Pronab Mohanty after a witness alleged that between 1995 and 2014, he was forced to bury several bodies, mainly of young women, some even minors, who appeared to have been sexually assaulted and murdered, at the popular pilgrimage town located on the banks of the Nethravathi River in Dakshina Kannada.

The SIT later arrested him on charges of perjury.