SIT will soon begin probe into Dharmasthala 'mass burial' case: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala in the Dakshina Kannada district, will soon visit there and begin the inquiry.
The SIT, headed by Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police (Internal Security Division), consists of Deputy Inspector General of Police (Recruitment) M N Anucheth and IPS officers Soumyalatha S K and Jitendra Kumar Dayama.
"We have already given them (SIT) instructions to go there (Dharmasthala) immediately. Based on the records available at the police station, they will begin (the investigation). Instructions have gone to the local police too from the DG to give the related records and documents to the SIT.
"Mohanty (SIT chief) and his team will probably go there in a couple of days and will begin their work," Parameshwara said.
Responding to a question on reports claiming that two officers from SIT were seeking to leave for personal reasons, he said if anyone in the team makes a request not to be its part, citing reasons, and convinces, they will be replaced.
"For now, all four of them are part of the team. Yesterday I saw some media reports, but it has not come to me. If anyone from the team has requested the DG or the Commissioner, they will be replaced," he added.
The SIT was constituted by the government following claims about alleged mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala, over the past two decades.
A former sanitation worker, whose identity has not been revealed, has claimed that he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014, and that he was forced to bury a number of bodies, including those of women and minors, in Dharmasthala.
He had alleged that some of the bodies showed signs of sexual assault. He has also given a statement before a magistrate in this regard.
To a question about an alleged report submitted to the government in 2018 regarding unnatural deaths in Belthangady (the taluk under which Dharmasthala comes) and no action was taken based on that, the home minister stated that he was unaware of it. However, he assured that he would look into if such a report exists officially.
"Who has submitted the report I don't know. Who was in the committee? Who constituted it? Was it authorised by the government? Or was it private? Nothing is known. If any report has come to the government officially and if it was authorised by the government, then it will be examined," he said.
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.
Punishment for those disrupting assembly proceedings, warns Speaker UT Khader
Belagavi: Speaker U.T. Khader on Friday warned that members who disrupt Assembly proceedings by talking in their seats during debates will be made to sit in the House for an entire day as a disciplinary measure.
The warning came after the Question Hour, when Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad was permitted to initiate a discussion on the development of North Karnataka.
At this point, expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal objected, stating that he had been seeking a debate for the past three days but had not been given an opportunity.
ALSO READ: IndiGo board ropes in external aviation expert for flight disruption probe
Responding to the objection, Speaker Khader said Bellad had already been granted permission and assured Yatnal that he would be allowed to speak at the next opportunity. He noted that even as a serious discussion was underway, several MLAs were speaking among themselves with their microphones on, disrupting the proceedings.
Expressing displeasure over the conduct of members, Khader likened the situation to football, where players receive red, yellow, or white cards for violations. Similarly, he said, the Assembly issues warning cards to members who disturb the House. If they fail to correct themselves despite repeated warnings, they would be required to remain seated in the Assembly hall for a full day as punishment, he stated.
