Dharmasthala double murder case: Family demands SIT probe after 13 years
Belthangady: The family of elephant mahout Narayana Safalya and his sister Yamuna, who were brutally murdered in Dharmasthala’s Boorje village in 2012, has submitted a petition to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) demanding a fresh probe into the case.
On Monday, Narayana’s children, Ganesh and Bharati, visited the SIT office in Belthangady and filed a complaint. They urged the authorities to identify the culprits and deliver justice, pointing out that despite repeated appeals over the years, the case has not seen progress.
According to the petition, Narayana, a retired elephant mahout in Dharmasthala, and his sister Yamuna were murdered on September 21, 2012, at their residence in Boorje. Although a complaint was submitted to the then Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police in November 2013, the family claims no concrete action was taken. Copies of earlier petitions to the SP were also attached.
The SIT has acknowledged receiving the complaint, stating that it has been accepted and will be examined. The matter will be referred to the jurisdictional police station for necessary action, officials said in their response.
Allegations in the complaint
The petition alleges that Narayana had been facing threats from Harshendra Kumar, brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, who had allegedly pressured Narayana for nearly five years to vacate his ancestral house in Boorje. The complaint states that Harshendra Kumar had even assaulted Narayana on two occasions and, on September 20, 2012, visited his home to issue a death threat if he failed to vacate the premises immediately.
On September 21, 2012, Narayana and Yamuna attended a Ganeshotsava drama at the KSRTC bus stand and returned home around 10 pm. The next day, when locals noticed that the house remained locked even by noon, they forced entry and discovered the siblings had been murdered, Narayana’s head crushed with a stone and Yamuna’s with a grinding stone.
The family maintains that Narayana had no wealth, jewelry, or property disputes beyond the ancestral house, and the murder was committed solely with the intention of seizing the land. They further allege that when they informed Veerendra Heggade about the matter three days later, he dismissed it saying, “What happened has happened, let it go.”
The complaint also accuses Harshendra Kumar of subsequently locking up the house, preventing the family from retrieving belongings, and issuing threats if they attempted to enter.
The family has now renewed its plea for an impartial probe, stressing that the double murder case must be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.
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Withdraw 'disrespectful' remark against Rahul Gandhi and apologise: Pilot asks Rijiju
Mumbai (PTI): Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday hit out at Union minister Kiren Rijiju for passing a "disrespectful and inappropriate" remark against Rahul Gandhi, and asked him to apologise for it.
He was answering a query regarding Rijiju's reported statement in which he described Gandhi as the "most dangerous person" for India's security, and a purported video of a man claiming to be from Karni Sena issuing death threats to the Congress leader.
Addressing a press conference here, Pilot said, "When ordinary journalists criticise the government, they face FIRs and jail. But when threats are issued against the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (Rahul Gandhi), there is silence. This shows the government's intention. LoP is a constitutional position. To describe him as a security threat is inappropriate and disrespectful. Even as such open threats are being made, the government is not taking any action."
"The statement 9against Gandhi) should be withdrawn and an apology should be issued," the Congress general secretary said, adding that it is the job of the LoP to seek accountability from the government and ask questions.
To a query on the plane crash in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed on January 28, Pilot said, "I do not want to speculate. There should be a transparent, time-bound inquiry. If there are doubts, a high-level investigation should clarify facts."
When asked about the demand for leadership change in the opposition INDIA bloc, he said, "Leadership decisions are internal matters. The alliance worked remarkably well in the last Lok Sabha election. The gap in numbers between the INDIA bloc and the NDA was not very wide. We are working together strongly and will continue to do so."
The Congress has been helming the INDIA bloc, a coalition of Opposition parties formed before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to counter the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, voices from disgruntled Congress members and those associated with the UPA dispensation suggested that the leadership of the opposition alliance should be given to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin.
On Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Indian economy, Pilot said, "India is a major IT power. We have talent and capability. Many countries see India as a natural partner. But we must use our strengths wisely and not compromise our sovereignty under pressure."
"India should have the freedom to decide where to buy oil from. That is a sovereign decision," Pilot said.
On the issue of illegal migration, he said anybody staying illegally in India should be removed regardless of religion or caste.
"But this issue should not be politicised. If the border has been under control for 11 years, how did illegal immigrants enter? The government should provide data on how many people have been deported," he said.
"This government's intent and policies are anti-farmer and there is no accountability. The opposition will continue to demand answers from the government and stand with farmers and the people of India," he said.
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