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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Minor girl kidnapped and raped; main accused and two cafe owners held
Latur (PTI): A minor girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by an 18-year-old man in Latur, leading to the arrest of the main accused and owners of two cafes where the crime occurred on December 4, police said on Saturday.
Police traced the girl within hours of registering the complaint. The accused, identified as Rihan Gulab Shaikh, was arrested based on the girl's complaint. Two others are owners of two cafes where the crime occurred, police said.
Police registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), POCSO Act, and the Prevention of Atrocities Act, an official said.
