SIT finds no conclusive evidence in Dharmasthala mass burial allegations: Report
Bengaluru/Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala has so far not found substantial evidence to support the claims made by whistleblower CN Chinnaiah, according to sources quoted by The New Indian Express on Monday. The team is now examining whether there was an attempt to deliberately target the temple town and identify those who may have instigated the allegations.
Since, Chinnaiah, a former sanitation worker at the temple between 1995 and 2014, alleged that he was coerced into burying more than 100 bodies—including those of women and minors, the SIT has identified and examined around 18 alleged burial sites, where limited skeletal remains were found at some locations, including Banglegudde.
These remains have been sent for forensic and DNA analysis. However, according to officials, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report on remains recovered near the Nethravathi bathing ghat indicated they belonged to a male, contrary to the complainant’s claims. The report also stated that the age of the remains could not be determined and that there was no DNA sample available for matching. The SIT is still awaiting results on five skulls seized from Banglegudde.
Sujatha Bhat, who is also a complainant in the case, had alleged that after visiting Dharmasthala in 2003, her daughter went missing. She later retracted her statement and admitted that she had no daughter and had made the false claim under pressure from others.
The investigation was led by Director General of Police (Cyber Command) Pronab Mohanty and was constituted in July after the allegations gained national attention. Due to public sentiment over the unsolved murder of Soujanya the case resurfaced. Her case was initially investigated by the local police and later handed to the CID, before transferring it to the CBI. The CBI’s main accused, Santhosh Rao, was acquitted in 2023 for lack of evidence, and the Karnataka High Court later rejected a plea for a fresh probe.
The SIT has issued notices under Section 41A to five individuals including activists Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Girish Mattannavar, Vittal Gowda, Jayant T, and Sujatha Bhat, for questioning in connection with the ongoing perjury case. Officials quoted by TNIE said that failure to comply with the notice could lead to arrests.
The Dakshina Kannada police denied permission for a protest planned in support of Timarodi. They said that a related writ petition is pending before the High Court, while the District Superintendent of Police Arun K warned that legal action would be taken if the instructions were not followed.
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BJP to fight Assam polls on twin planks of development, secure state
Guwahati (PTI): In a bid to win the Assam Assembly elections for the third time in a row, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday advised the state BJP brass to fight on twin planks: development and a secure state.
Shah, who wound up a two-day visit to Assam, held a nearly two-hour-long meeting with senior leaders of the BJP state unit at the party headquarters here, with a focus on discussing strategy for the state elections, expected in March-April.
Briefing reporters after the closed-door meeting, BJP Assam president Dilip Saikia said, "Development and a secure Assam will be our twin electoral planks."
He also said that Shah, known for his expertise in electoral politics, has offered valuable suggestions, and based on it, an action plan to retain power in the state will be formulated soon.
“Discussions were held in detail on our organisational and political calendars. Shah ji offered some very valuable suggestions, and we will implement those at the earliest…We will share more details on the action plan soon,” Saikia said.
He further said that the Union minister exhorted the state party leadership to ensure that not only do they secure a ‘massive landslide victory’ but also bag more seats than in the previous election.
The BJP currently leads a coalition government in Assam with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), while the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has also extended support.
In the 126-member Assembly, the BJP now has 64 legislators, while its allies AGP, UPPL and BPF have nine, seven and three memnbers, respectively. In the opposition camp, the Congress’ strength is 26, while AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) one. There is an Independent legislator also, belonging to Raijor Dal.
Saikia said that the party will continue to contest the state polls in coalition with its NDA allies, which was also favoured by Shah.
Dismissing reports of chinks in the ruling coalition, the Lok Sabha MP said, “As far as the NDA is concerned, we are united in Assam. There could be discussions about some issues on individual party forums.”
The saffron party has maintained that its alliance with the regional parties will continue, and formalities like seat-sharing arrangements are being worked out.
Shah, who was on his second visit to the state within a month, attended two other events in Dibrugarh and Dheamji earlier in the day. He left for West Bengal after the meeting at the Guwahati state party headquarters.
