Mother of student who went missing 22 years ago files complaint at Dharmasthala police station
Belthangady: Two decades after her daughter mysteriously disappeared during a visit to Dharmasthala, Sujata Bhat (60), the mother of missing MBBS student Ananya Bhat, formally filed a police complaint at Dharmasthala Police Station on Monday evening seeking fresh probe into the matter in light of the recent revealations in the Dharmasthala Mass Burial case.
Earlier in the day, Sujata Bhat, accompanied by her advocate Manjunath N, met the Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada district, seeking justice and a renewed investigation into the case. Based on the SP’s advice, she later visited the Dharmasthala Police Station and submitted her complaint around 8 PM to Sub-Inspector Samarth R. Ganiger.
Ananya Bhat, who was 20 years old and studying MBBS, had gone missing in 2003 after visiting the Dharmasthala temple along with two of her friends. Despite efforts, the family received no information about her whereabouts for 22 years.
The case has gained renewed attention in light of the recent mass burial allegations in Dharmasthala. A former sanitation worker recently submitted a letter to the police, claiming that he had buried several bodies under pressure. He later appeared before the Belthangady court and gave a sworn statement, also producing a human skeleton, which has been sent for forensic examination.
After watching reports of the mass burial allegations on YouTube, Sujata Bhat was prompted to take legal steps. In her statement to the media from the Dharmasthala police station, she said:
"I came here not to accuse anyone. I only want the remains of my daughter, if found, to be handed over to me after a proper DNA test. I want to give her a dignified farewell as per Hindu customs. I don't want anything else."
Police have registered the complaint and assured that further investigation will follow.
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Defeated delimitation bill in Parliament to defend idea of India: Cong leader Rahul Gandhi
Chennai (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the opposition parties defeated the delimitation bill in the Parliament on Friday to defend the "idea of India."
Addressing a poll rally at Ponneri here, he said the BJP-led government at the Centre brought a new bill on April 16, and said they were trying to pass the women's bill, which he said was passed in 2023.
"In the so-called Women's Bill, delimitation was hidden. The idea was to reduce Tamil Nadu's representation in the Union of India... the delimitation move by BJP was to weaken the strength of southern states, small states, north eastern states," he alleged.
"We defeated in Parliament, a bill in which delimitation was hidden; we defeated it to defend the idea of India."
Rahul added that India that is Bharat, is a union of states, and every single state should have a voice, be free to express itself, and protect its tradition.
