Mother of student who went missing 22 years ago files complaint at Dharmasthala police station
Belthangady: Two decades after her daughter mysteriously disappeared during a visit to Dharmasthala, Sujata Bhat (60), the mother of missing MBBS student Ananya Bhat, formally filed a police complaint at Dharmasthala Police Station on Monday evening seeking fresh probe into the matter in light of the recent revealations in the Dharmasthala Mass Burial case.
Earlier in the day, Sujata Bhat, accompanied by her advocate Manjunath N, met the Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada district, seeking justice and a renewed investigation into the case. Based on the SP’s advice, she later visited the Dharmasthala Police Station and submitted her complaint around 8 PM to Sub-Inspector Samarth R. Ganiger.
Ananya Bhat, who was 20 years old and studying MBBS, had gone missing in 2003 after visiting the Dharmasthala temple along with two of her friends. Despite efforts, the family received no information about her whereabouts for 22 years.
The case has gained renewed attention in light of the recent mass burial allegations in Dharmasthala. A former sanitation worker recently submitted a letter to the police, claiming that he had buried several bodies under pressure. He later appeared before the Belthangady court and gave a sworn statement, also producing a human skeleton, which has been sent for forensic examination.
After watching reports of the mass burial allegations on YouTube, Sujata Bhat was prompted to take legal steps. In her statement to the media from the Dharmasthala police station, she said:
"I came here not to accuse anyone. I only want the remains of my daughter, if found, to be handed over to me after a proper DNA test. I want to give her a dignified farewell as per Hindu customs. I don't want anything else."
Police have registered the complaint and assured that further investigation will follow.
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.
Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
