Residents rage over alleged delay in govt action on whistleblower's allegations; demand parallel probe into 2012 rape-murder case, to ‘open all closed files’
A former sanitation worker’s shocking claim of having buried hundreds of rape and murder victims in Karnataka’s Dharmasthala between 1998 and 2014 has not only left the residents of the temple town and its nearby villages rattled and deeply worried, but has also dredged up harrowing memories of the Soujanya rape and murder case.
Expressing distress over the whistleblower’s allegations and the delay by the government in acting on them and forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT), residents have demanded a parallel probe into the rape and murder of Soujanya, along with that of the mass burials.
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Mass burial allegations
The complainant, introducing himself as a former sanitation worker at the Dharmasthala temple, has claimed that he was forced to dispose of hundreds of bodies, mostly those of women who had been raped and murdered, between 1998 and 2014, in Dharmasthala in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district.
In his complaint, the sanitation worker said his life was in danger and that influential figures were behind the crimes.
While an FIR was filed based on his complaint, the whistleblower also presented before the court skeletal remains of a body he claimed he secretly exhumed from the burial site. After coming under pressure from several quarters, the Siddaramaiah government on Saturday (July 19) formed an SIT headed by Director-General of Police, Internal Security Division and Cyber Command, Pronab Mohanty, to probe the case.
Outrage over delay
Meanwhile, the allegation has disturbed the peace of the temple town, raising fear and serious questions: ‘Is this true? And if so, why did the government take so long to act?’ residents have asked.
Many people have asked why the government stayed silent for days, even after the former sanitation worker gave his court statement on July 11.
He appeared in Beltangady court with lawyers and told the judge that he was ready to show where the bodies were buried — if he and his family were given protection. Still, the government took nine more days to form an SIT, only announcing it on July 20. The delay has made locals even more suspicious and angry.
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A college student told The Federal, “If someone is risking his life to tell the truth, why did the government wait so long? What are they trying to hide?”
Now, whispers seem true: residents
The shock and fear among people in the region were palpable when The Federal Karnataka visited Dharmasthala and its surrounding areas. Many villagers, traders, students, and social workers shared their feelings. Some were afraid to speak openly, but others narrated their doubts, past fears, and anger at the delay in government action.
Allegations of mass burials of rape and murder victims in Dharmasthala between 1998 and 2014 have disturbed the peace of the temple town. Images: The Federal
Several residents said they had heard strange things over the years but never imagined such a serious matter would come to light. They said that they now feel unsafe, anxious, and disappointed with the government.
“This cannot be just one case. For many years, people whispered about things like this. We didn’t think it was true — now it seems it might be,” a senior resident near Ujire told The Federal Karnataka.
Demand for probe
The latest allegations have also breathed life into the 2012 Soujanya rape and murder case, which had caused massive public outcry at that time. Soujanya, 17, was found raped and strangled, with her hands tied with her shawl, at a deserted place in Dharmasthala in 2012. While the case was transferred to the CBI, a special CBI court in Bengaluru acquitted the lone accused in the case in 2023 due to a lack of evidence.
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Many people, who believe justice was not done in the case despite the CBI handling it, now feel both cases — the burial allegation and Soujanya’s murder — must be investigated together.
“We want justice not just for the buried bodies, but also for Soujanya. How many girls must suffer before they take us seriously?” a local activist told The Federal Karnataka.
The government, however, has said that the newly formed SIT will look only into the burial case. It will not reopen or include old cases like Soujanya.
The decision has angered residents, human rights groups, and victims’ families.
A retired school teacher from Belalu village told The Federal Karnataka, “If you dig up the ground but not the truth, what’s the point? They should open all the closed files.”
‘Justice for Soujanya’
On Monday (July 21), a few youngsters, said to be from Kalaburagi, suddenly began a protest, chanting slogans of ‘Justice for Soujanya’ in Dharmasthala. Police and locals quickly stopped them. The youths were taken away in a bus by the police. Since the group was small, it didn’t turn into a big issue, but for a short time, there was tension in the area.
Sources say the protesters had walked to Dharmasthala from nearby areas. They wanted justice for Soujanya, especially after the new reports about buried bodies. Since there was no major disturbance, the police did not file an FIR and just calmed the situation.
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Two officers may step down from SIT
The SIT, headed by Mohanty, includes DIG MN Anucheth, DCP Soumya Latha, and SP Jitendra Kumar. But now, reports say that Anucheth and Soumya want to step down due to personal reasons. This has raised more doubts about whether the investigation will move forward smoothly.
A farmer from Beltangady said, “This is not a small case. If the government ignores it again, people will lose faith. We need truth and justice — not silence.”
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(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka.)
