Dharmasthala Mass Burial case: No doubt police are working for accused, says Sujatha Bhat
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.
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Fresh case registered against activist Snehamayi Krishna
Bengaluru PTI): A fresh FIR has been registered against social activist Snehamayi Krishna for making defamatory statements against a woman.
Basaveshwara Nagar Police Station registered a First Information Report against Krishna on Saturday.
According to the FIR, complainant Pavithra B N (37) alleged that a letter dated December 5 was delivered to her residence, in which Snehamayi Krishna made defamatory allegations regarding the death of her husband and against her advocate, Raghu.
The letter also indicated that a complaint had been submitted to the Mahalakshmipuram Police Station seeking reinvestigation into her husband’s death.
The complainant further alleged that a threatening note was enclosed with the letter, pressuring her to withdraw cases filed against a man named Mylaraappa.
She stated that the mobile number of the person exerting pressure was mentioned in the letter.
Pavithra claimed that the alleged actions had caused severe distress to her family, disrupted her children’s education, created unrest at home and deprived them of peace.
She also accused the persons named in the complaint of using abusive language and issuing life threats.
Police initially registered a non-cognisable report.
After Pavithra obtained permission from the 24th ACMM Court to initiate criminal proceedings, an FIR was formally registered against Snehamayi Krishna and Mylaraappa as per the court’s direction.
Krishna has previously been in the news for lodging complaints and making allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M, and others for obtaining Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) alternative sites (plots) against the rules.
The Lokayukta police which investigated the matter filed a closure report, which the special court of public representatives admitted.
On Thursday, he also levelled accusations against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh along with a Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) officer D B Natesh, the former MUDA Commissioner.
Shalini Rajneesh's office rejected the charges categorically and termed his accusations "defamatory".
On Saturday he apologised for making allegations against the Chief Secretary.
