Mangaluru, July 17: In a powerful statement issued on Wednesday, Sujatha Bhat, the mother of Ananya Bhat, a girl who went missing from Dharmasthala over two decades ago, and her advocate Manjunath N have accused the Dakshina Kannada police of shielding the accused in the Dharmasthala mass burial case. The press release, strongly worded demands immediate formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to take over the probe.

The family’s outrage stems from the latest revelation made by Superintendent of Police Dr Arun K, who stated that the police had received local intelligence suggesting the key witness in the case might abscond after pointing out the locations where bodies are allegedly buried. Reacting sharply, the family questioned the logic of such a claim.

“If he intended to flee, why would he volunteer to guide the police to the burial sites?” asked Advocate Manjunath, expressing disbelief at the SP’s statement. According to the press note, the SP’s remarks indirectly confirm that the bodies are indeed buried in multiple locations around Dharmasthala and that the witness knows exactly where they are. Despite that, the police have delayed exhumation for nearly two weeks since the official complaint was filed on July 3.

The family said this inaction has allowed ample time for those involved to potentially tamper with or remove evidence. “There is no doubt that the Dakshina Kannada police are working for the accused,” the statement alleged. They went on to say that the failure to act is “nothing short of monstrous” and raised fears that the bodies might have already been removed or tampered with during this period of inaction.

Sujatha Bhat, whose daughter Ananya went missing under mysterious circumstances in Dharmasthala 22 years ago, said the ongoing developments have renewed their trauma. She expressed deep distrust in the current investigation team and pleaded with the Karnataka government to remove all existing officers from the probe.

“The Karnataka government is urgently requested to immediately form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and completely remove the current investigative personnel from the case. I pray that, in these two weeks, we do not face a situation where we have to question how much the current investigating officers have aided the accused,” the statement read.

This latest criticism comes at a time when the Dharmasthala mass burial case is drawing widespread attention across the state. The matter came into public light earlier this month after a former sanitation worker approached the court and confessed that he had buried multiple bodies under coercion many years ago. His statement was recorded under Section 164, and he even handed over skeletal remains to the authorities, which have since been sent for forensic analysis.

Despite this, the complainant’s legal team has repeatedly accused the police of dragging their feet and not taking the next steps quickly, particularly regarding the exhumation of human remains. Meanwhile, the police have maintained that they will proceed only when legally appropriate and with due process.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Mangaluru.

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.



Lucknow, Jul 27 (PTI): The wife of a constable posted at Bakshi ka Talab police station in Uttar Pradesh has committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan in the house, police said on Sunday.

They said the matter came to light through a video she posted on Instagram.

"On Sunday, it was learnt through an Instagram video that Saumya Kashyap committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan in the house. Saumya is the wife of constable Anurag Singh, who is currently posted in Eagle Mobile at Bakshi Ka Talab station," the police said in a statement.

In the video Saumya posted before her death, she talked about her in-laws trying to get her husband married for the second time and her brother-in-law threatening to kill her, the statement said.

Police said they have informed the deceased's family, who have left from their Mainpuri house.

"On receipt of their complaint, a case will be registered and necessary action will be taken," the statement said.