98 unnatural deaths reported in Dharmasthala area between 2013 and 2020
Bengaluru: At least 98 cases of unnatural deaths were reported in the Dharmasthala region, including Ujire and Belthangady, between September 10, 2013 and December 2020, according to official police records. These cases have been registered at Ujire and Belthangady police stations based on complaints received during this period.
The causes of death in these cases range widely, from suicide due to depression, terminal illness, and exam failure, to accidental falls, drowning, electrocution, lightning strikes, and even suspected homicide. Several deaths involved individuals consuming poison or suffering fatal injuries due to alcohol intoxication, while some victims collapsed due to heart attacks or other sudden medical emergencies.
Among the reported incidents are:
- A polytechnic student who died by suicide after failing an examination.
- A woman who was found dead in the bathroom of Panchami Lodge during a family visit to the Dharmasthala temple.
- nidentified male and female bodies discovered in the vicinity.
- A youngster who drowned while bathing in a local lake after slipping and failing to swim.
This data was reportedly obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request by a civic service trust. A list including the names of deceased individuals and FIR numbers has been published by the-file.in, an investigative website. Select case details from the list offer chilling insights into the range of incidents.
One such case involved the discovery of a man’s body on a 14-acre plot in Billarodi near Ujire, reportedly buried under soil and tree logs using an excavator. Locals had long speculated about suspicious activity in the area.
In another unresolved case, a man named Sompa Balakrishna Gowda from the nearby Timarodi area went missing. No official complaint was filed, but whistleblower Bhaskar Badakottu raised suspicions of powerful individuals being involved in his alleged disappearance.
A tragic car accident on May 4, 2019, near Siddavana claimed the lives of Vishwesh (20) and Kshitij Jain (24) when a large tree fell on their vehicle. Both occupants, seated in the rear, suffered fatal head injuries.
In November 2020, an unidentified male body was found near Neera Chilume in Ujire.
Another shocking case dates back to March 1, 2014, when a man and woman checked into Room 104 of Rajlila Residency in Ujire. The woman was later found semi-nude and dead in the bathroom. Authorities suspect she was murdered by her male companion, who reportedly locked the door from outside and fled.
In a separate incident, 57-year-old Annigowda died by suicide by ingesting poison in a remote forested area. His decomposed body was found on October 23, 2016, in the Adamge government hills.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
