Mother of Ananya Bhat who went missing 22 years ago in Dharmasthala seeks fresh probe
Meets Dakshina Kannada SP as Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case unfolds
Mangaluru: In a significant development that ties into the ongoing Dharmasthala mass burial case, Sujatha Bhat — the mother of missing MBBS student Ananya Bhat, has approached the Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police, seeking a fresh investigation into her daughter’s mysterious disappearance in 2003.
Ananya Bhat, then a young medical student, had gone missing during a visit to the Dharmasthala temple. Despite repeated efforts and inquiries over the past 22 years, her family has received no clarity or closure on her whereabouts.
Now, amid explosive revelations surrounding the alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala, Sujaata Bhat has formally submitted a complaint to the SP, urging authorities to reinvestigate her daughter’s disappearance amidst the newly surfaced claims of unreported burials. She was accompanied by her advocate during the meeting.
Police officials have confirmed receipt of the complaint and stated that further action is likely as part of a renewed investigation.
The case took a sensational turn earlier this month when a man who had worked as a sanitation worker in Dharmasthala claimed to have buried hundreds of dead bodies under pressure. He initially submitted a written statement to the Dakshina Kannada SP and, a few days later, appeared before a Belthangady court, where he gave a formal testimony before the magistrate. During his court appearance, he also brought with him a human skeleton which he claimed he exhumed from the site of burial he used before moving into hiding. The skeleton has now been sent for forensic analysis.
The man reportedly told the court that he had buried bodies in several undisclosed locations around Dharmasthala and expressed willingness to identify those sites if the police conduct an investigation. Following this, two lawyers representing him have formally demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged murders and illegal burials.
His confession and the shocking nature of the allegations have triggered a state-wide and national-level debate, raising serious questions about how unidentified deaths and disappearances in Dharmasthala have been handled over the years.
Sujatha Bhat’s renewed plea has now brought Ananya’s two-decade-old missing case back into the spotlight, with concerns growing over whether her disappearance was one of many such neglected or possibly connected incidents.
This is the first time in years that Ananya’s family has formally approached the police again, hopeful that the current momentum might finally lead them to the truth.
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PM Modi to address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM, a day after a bill to implement women's reservation in legislatures was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
"The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8.30 PM (April 18, Saturday)," an official said.
Modi is expected to delve into the issue of implementation of women's quota and the happenings in Parliament, where opposition parties on Friday voted against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
Under the Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased up to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
A two-thirds majority was required for the passage of the crucial bill but the ruling BJP-led alliance could not muster the numbers.
During polling on the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday night, 298 members voted in its support, while 230 MPs voted against it.
Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
