Complaint filed before High Court judges alleging attempts to obstruct Dharmasthala SIT probe
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Bengaluru: Serious allegations have emerged that organised efforts are being made to weaken the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged mass burials, disappearances, and suspicious deaths in Dharmasthala. A complaint has been submitted to judges of the Karnataka High Court seeking registration of a suo motu case in this regard.
The petition was filed by Raghu Janagere, a member of the “Lanchmukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike,” who has also forwarded a copy to the Chief Justice of India, Justice B.R. Gavai. The letter was addressed to Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru.
In his submission, Janagere urged the High Court to take immediate suo motu cognisance of the matter. He alleged that vested interests were exerting pressure to derail the SIT’s ongoing investigations.
The SIT was constituted by the Karnataka government on July 19, 2025, following allegations that hundreds of bodies had been illegally buried in Dharmasthala over the years. The team was tasked with investigating cases of disappearances and suspicious deaths spanning the last 25 years. Among these is the infamous October 9, 2012 case involving the rape and murder of 17-year-old Soujanya, which remains unresolved despite sustained protests by activists.
The complaint further alleged that attempts were being made to prevent victims and activists from approaching the SIT. Instead, police complaints were being filed against them to intimidate families and witnesses, thereby creating a climate of fear.
Notable activists such as Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Girish Mattannavar, Sameer M.D., and Jayanth have been named in multiple police cases. Even Sujata Bhatt, reportedly suffering from psychological trauma, has been targeted in this manner, the petition claimed.
Janagere alleged that this was the result of collusion between vested interests and certain police officials, aimed at weakening the SIT’s work. He requested the High Court to monitor the case under the supervision of a retired judge to ensure impartiality.
The petition also sought strict directions to the police to prevent misuse of the system against activists, victims, and witnesses.
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Parents fear uncertainty after Karnataka govt rules out age limit relaxation for Class 1 admission
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has ruled out any relaxation of the minimum age limit for admission to Class 1 beginning with the academic year 2026-27. Following the refusal, a group of parents continues to press for leniency.
Parents of children who fall under the age of six by a small margin on the cut-off date have met Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and senior officials from the Department of School Education and Literacy to request an exemption. School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that the government will not change its decision, as reported by Deccan Herald.
According to the minister, children must be six years old by June 1 to be eligible for admission to Class 1. beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. He noted that the previous relaxation was a one-time measure that was clearly confined to the 2025-26 academic year.
“If such requests are entertained every year, it will never end. While granting relaxation last year, it was explicitly stated that it applied only to one academic year. From 2026-27 onwards, the rule will be strictly implemented,” Bangarappa was quoted by DH.
Parents argue that the rigid cut-off is affecting children who are short by a few days. One parent was quoted by DH as saying that his daughter would be 12 days short of completing six years on June 1. Such parents would be forced to repeat a year despite being academically ready. Others pointed out that children promoted from LKG to UKG during the 2025-26 academic year are now facing uncertainty over their transition to Class 1.
Few parents also recalled that earlier, admissions were allowed for children aged between five years and 10 months and six years. Parents saw it as a more practical approach, with children born in November and December being disproportionately affected.
The issue of age criterion goes back to a government order issued in July 2022. The order mandated six years as the minimum age for Class 1 admission. Parents of children already enrolled in pre-primary classes, protested against the order and the state deferred implementation, announcing that the rule would come into force from the 2025-26 academic year.
After renewed pressure, the government granted a one-year relaxation for 2025-26, citing the large number of students affected and in consultation with the State Education Policy Commission. While announcing the exemption, the minister had stated that no further concessions would be allowed.
