Dharmasthala double murder case: Family demands SIT probe after 13 years
Belthangady: The family of elephant mahout Narayana Safalya and his sister Yamuna, who were brutally murdered in Dharmasthala’s Boorje village in 2012, has submitted a petition to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) demanding a fresh probe into the case.
On Monday, Narayana’s children, Ganesh and Bharati, visited the SIT office in Belthangady and filed a complaint. They urged the authorities to identify the culprits and deliver justice, pointing out that despite repeated appeals over the years, the case has not seen progress.
According to the petition, Narayana, a retired elephant mahout in Dharmasthala, and his sister Yamuna were murdered on September 21, 2012, at their residence in Boorje. Although a complaint was submitted to the then Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police in November 2013, the family claims no concrete action was taken. Copies of earlier petitions to the SP were also attached.
The SIT has acknowledged receiving the complaint, stating that it has been accepted and will be examined. The matter will be referred to the jurisdictional police station for necessary action, officials said in their response.
Allegations in the complaint
The petition alleges that Narayana had been facing threats from Harshendra Kumar, brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, who had allegedly pressured Narayana for nearly five years to vacate his ancestral house in Boorje. The complaint states that Harshendra Kumar had even assaulted Narayana on two occasions and, on September 20, 2012, visited his home to issue a death threat if he failed to vacate the premises immediately.
On September 21, 2012, Narayana and Yamuna attended a Ganeshotsava drama at the KSRTC bus stand and returned home around 10 pm. The next day, when locals noticed that the house remained locked even by noon, they forced entry and discovered the siblings had been murdered, Narayana’s head crushed with a stone and Yamuna’s with a grinding stone.
The family maintains that Narayana had no wealth, jewelry, or property disputes beyond the ancestral house, and the murder was committed solely with the intention of seizing the land. They further allege that when they informed Veerendra Heggade about the matter three days later, he dismissed it saying, “What happened has happened, let it go.”
The complaint also accuses Harshendra Kumar of subsequently locking up the house, preventing the family from retrieving belongings, and issuing threats if they attempted to enter.
The family has now renewed its plea for an impartial probe, stressing that the double murder case must be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.
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Pak, Afghan forces trade fire along Chaman border: Report
Islamabad (PTI): A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces was reported from the key Chaman border, according to a media report on Saturday.
Injuries were reported from the district hospital, but no fatalities occurred, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Officials from both sides accused each other of instigating the flare-up late on Friday night across the border in the Balochistan province.
While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.
Pakistan's official sources told Dawn that Pakistani forces retaliated against the Afghan aggression and returned fire.
There were also reports of fighting on the Chaman-Kandahar highway, but these could not be immediately verified.
A senior official in Quetta confirmed on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire started around 10 pm and continued until late at night.
The medical superintendent of Chaman district hospital said that three injured, including a woman, were brought to the medical facility.
There was neither any official word from the Inter-Services Public Relations -- Pakistan Army's media wing -- nor from the Foreign Office.
The Chaman border crossing, also known as Friendship Gate, connects Balochistan province to Afghanistan’s Kandahar.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated amidst regular allegations by Pakistan regarding the failure of the Afghan regime to deny safe havens to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists.
The two countries had agreed on a ceasefire following tensions last month, but the Foreign Office said last month that technically there was no truce as it was contingent on the Afghan Taliban stopping terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which they had failed to do.
