Dharmasthala mass burial allegations: Karnataka government forms SIT headed by Dr. Pronab Mohanty
Who are the members of this crucial SIT? Full details below
Bengaluru: In connection with the serial murder allegations said to have occurred in Dharmasthala village of Belthangady taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, and pertaining to Criminal Case No. 39/2025 under Section 211(A) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Karnataka state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising four IPS officers for a comprehensive probe.
The government officially issued the order on Saturday (July 19), transferring the case to the SIT. Dr. Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police (DGP) of the Internal Security Division of the state, has been appointed as the head of this Special Investigation Team.
Other members of the SIT:
* M.N. Anucheth, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Recruitment Division
* Soumya Latha, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Armed Reserve (CAR)
* Jitendra Kumar Dayama, Superintendent of Police, Internal Security Division
According to the government order, the SIT will carry out an impartial and detailed investigation into the case registered at Dharmasthala Police Station as well as any other related or future cases filed in police stations across the state concerning this issue. The SIT is also directed to submit its report to the government at the earliest.
Earlier, the Karnataka State Women’s Commission had written to the government demanding the formation of a Special Investigation Team for an impartial and thorough investigation.
The Women’s Commission had specifically requested a high-level SIT to probe cases involving missing women and girl students, unnatural deaths or murders, and sexual assault incidents that have reportedly occurred in the Dharmasthala region over the past 20 years.
The government order cites the issues raised in the Women’s Commission's letter and the case registered at Dharmasthala Police Station (Cr. No. 39/2025 under BNS Section 211(A)), and concludes that it is appropriate to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for an in-depth and impartial inquiry.
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Rare Kalyani Chalukya-era stepwell discovered in Karnataka’s Gadag district
Gadag: A centuries-old stepwell from the Kalyani Chalukya period is discovered into public in Sudi, a remote village in Karnataka’s Gadag district. The Nagakunda Pushkarani, dating to the 10th-11th century CE, is undergoing extensive restoration under the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage’s ‘Adopt a Monument’ scheme.
The stepwell was focal point of community life and craftsmanship under the reign of Akkadevi, sister of Chalukya king Jayasimha II. It shows the dynasty’s mastery of architecture and water management. Its interior walls are carved with the precision of temple façades, setting it apart from most surviving stepwells in southern India, linking it stylistically to examples in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
After centuries of neglect left its sculptures weathered and its waters dry, the site is now being revived by the Deccan Heritage Foundation India in partnership with Heritage Matters, the Gandipet Welfare Society and the Water Literacy Foundation according to a report published by The HIndu. Work includes structural repairs, removal of invasive vegetation, dredging, stone resetting and landscaping, alongside the restoration of an adjacent mantapa with a large Ganesha idol.
Heritage architect B. Sarath Chandra noted, the project is as much about functionality as aesthetics, with water recharge efforts already underway. Funded by Gandipet Welfare Society founder Rajashree Pinnamenni, the restoration is slated for completion by late 2025, followed by a second phase linking the stepwell to the Jodu Kalasadagudi temple through landscaped pathways.
The report mentions that officials say the revival of Nagakunda Pushkarani could not only reintroduce Sudi’s Chalukya heritage to a wider audience but also serve as a model for conserving other lesser-known monuments across Karnataka.
