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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Allegations fly thick and fast after Dharmasthala clashes: 7 FIRs filed against local residents, journalists
The Karnataka Police registered seven FIRs hours after clashes that took place over alleged partisan media coverage of the Dharmasthala secret burial case near the town and neighbouring Ujire in the Dakshina Kannada district Wednesday evening. While four FIRs are registered at the Dharmasthala police station in connection with the assault on YouTubers, three were registered at the Belthangady police station. The clashes took place amid inspections being carried out in Dharmasthala by a Special Investigation Team, formed after a whistleblower filed a police complaint claiming that he had been forced to bury several bodies of alleged sexual assault and murder victims in the temple town. The first of the seven FIRs was based on a complaint filed by Ajay Anchan of the Kudla Rampage YouTube channel. He told The Indian Express that he was covering the visit of a TV personality to the house of a teenage college student who was allegedly raped and murdered in 2012. 'TV personality Rajath had gone to her house, and we were there to meet him. He told us that he was getting late and would meet us midway. At Pangala Cross, we stopped and took his response. As soon as it was over, some people came there and complained that I was talking about (BJP MP and secretary of the Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Educational Society) D Veerendra Heggade and Dharmasthala,' said Anchan. 'When I asked them to give details about the defamatory comments made by me, they turned irate. The members in the group said that their 'dhani' had asked them to break our hands and legs, and started assaulting me and others,' he added. Meanwhile, the police in a release said, 'Around 15-20 miscreants attacked the complainant, cameraman Suhas, Santosh of Sanchari Studio and Abhishek of United Media.' The police booked the accused under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for unlawful assembly and voluntarily causing hurt, among others. The second FIR was filed against residents of Dharmasthala for refusing to disperse from the spot despite directions from the police. The third was against the residents for staging a protest in front of the Dharmasthala police station without any prior permission from the authorities. Another FIR was for the alleged attack on one Pramod Kumar Shetty by a group of 30-40 people claiming to be 'supporters of Dharmasthala'. The first of the three FIRs registered at the Belthangady police station was for an alleged assault on the reporter of a Kannada news channel by supporters of a group formed to seek justice in the 2012 rape-murder case. Harish R, a reporter of Asianet Suvarna News, claimed that activists Girish Mattannavar and Mahesh Shetty, YouTuber Sameer MD, Jayanth T and several other unidentified people attacked him when he went to a hospital to cover the attack on YouTubers. The group allegedly assaulted the reporter after recognising the logo of his channel. They punched him in the face and shoved him around, according to the FIR. A counter FIR at the station alleged that the reporter had hurled abuse at the activists and supporters of the YouTubers who were allegedly assaulted near Dharmasthala. The FIR named Asianet Suvarna News anchor Ajit Hanumakkanavar, accusing him of broadcasting false news claiming that Shetty had attacked the reporter. The last FIR was against the group seeking justice for the college student group for unlawful assembly in front of the hospital at Ujire. Responding to the clashes, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara told reporters at Bengaluru that he has sought a report from the police regarding the cause of the incident Meanwhile, the police stepped up security at Ujire and Dharmasthala following the incident. The SIT probing allegations of secret burials in Dharmasthala Wednesday visited the grama panchayat office in the temple town, including those related to staff who worked there from 1998 to 2014, when the alleged murders and secret burials took place. Since July 29, SIT officials have dug up 12 of the 13 sites the whistleblower cited in his complaint. They found fragments of a skeleton on the third day of the inspection and portions of another skeleton on Monday. They were expected to inspect spot 13 Thursday.
India Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Mob attacks YouTubers in Dharmasthala amid probe into mass burial case
Tension gripped Karnataka's Dharmasthala, where an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigation is on to probe the alleged mass burial case, on Wednesday after an altercation broke out between two men representing three YouTube channels were attacked by a large mob. The YouTubers — Ajay Anchan, Abhishek, Vijay, and a cameraman — were interviewing Rajat, a contestant from Bigg Boss Kannada, when nearly 50 to 60 people allegedly assaulted them near Pangal Cross and damaged their camera four were admitted to Benaka Hospital in Ujire. One of them is said to be in critical condition, according to attack occurred close to the residence of Sowjanya, who was allegedly raped and found dead in 2012, a case that has seen renewed public interest after allegations of a larger cover-up involving the mass burial of multiple victims. The situation escalated further when locals and supporters of the Youtubers gathered in front of the Dharmasthala police station and the local hospital. Police had to resort to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Dakshina Kannada SP Arun K confirmed that no grievous injuries were reported and that written complaints had been filed by both have been registered at the Dharmasthala Police Station. The complaints include assault on the YouTubers, damage to their vehicles, and an attack on a Kannada news channel reporter. Cases have also been booked for unlawful assembly in multiple locations. The police said further action would be taken after reviewing video actor and activist Prakash Raj condemned the attack on the YouTube crew, calling it an attempt to silence those seeking justice for Sowjanya. He questioned the alleged conspiracy behind the incident and demanded accountability from authorities. 'Voices asking for justice should not be suppressed,' he Home Minister G Parameshwara said two groups had clashed but maintained that the situation is now under control. 'We don't know what exactly led to the clash. Both sides have filed complaints and they've been taken. There's nothing to worry about,' he said.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
Hans India
4 days ago
- Hans India
YouTube journalists injured in mob attack near Dharmasthala
Dharmasthala: Four media personnel affiliated with YouTube channels were brutally attacked near Dharmasthala while interviewing Rajat, known for appearing on 'Bigg Boss'. The assailants, allegedly numbering between 50 and 100, struck the team during the recording session close to Pangal Cross. Among those attacked were Ajay Anchan from 'Kudla Rampage', United Media's Abhishek, Vijay from Sanchari Studio, and a camera operator. Their camera equipment was reportedly smashed during the assault. All four were transported to Benaka Hospital in Ujire, where one remains critically injured. Local law enforcement confirmed the team had just begun filming when the mob descended. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, prompting police to review CCTV and gather eyewitness reports. No arrests have been made yet. 'This is a blatant attack on press freedom,' said the Karnataka Union of Journalists. State officials have promised a swift inquiry and are monitoring the victims' condition closely. Journalists across Karnataka have condemned the incident, calling for greater protection for media workers.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
YouTubers Attacked In Dharmasthala, 4 Hospitalised
Mangaluru (Karnataka): Four men, representing three YouTube channels, including a cameraman, were attacked by a large mob near Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district on Wednesday evening, when they were interviewing a person, amid an ongoing probe by SIT into the alleged mass burial case, police said. The incident occurred close to the residence of a college-goer, who was raped and found dead in 2012 in Dharmasthala town. Ajay Anchan, Abhishek, Vijay and a cameraman, were interviewing Rajat of "Bigg Boss Kannada" when they were assaulted by an estimated 50 to 60 individuals near Pangal Cross here. They also damaged the camera equipment. All four were rushed to Benaka Hospital in Ujire. One of them is reported to be in critical condition, police said. Police have launched an investigation and no arrests have been reported yet. Following the incident at Pangal Cross, two groups started abusing and pelting stones on each other. The police tried to pacify the mob, but when it showed signs of escalation, they resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse them. The police have beefed up the security in sensitive areas. Dakshina Kannada district Superintendent of Police Arun K urged people to remain calm and said that action would be taken once the identities of the suspects are confirmed. Authorities said the motive behind the incident remains unclear and are reviewing nearby CCTV footage. The Special Investigation Team was formed after the Karnataka Women's Commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Choudhary, several members from civil societies and lawyers demanded an investigation into the allegation of mass burial of people in Dharmasthala. There were allegations that "powerful people" were behind the murder of girls and young women, which prompted the state government to form an SIT. The SIT has so far dug out 13 locations and reportedly found bones and skeletons in two of them.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Five YouTubers, TV reporter injured as 2 groups clash over Dharmasthala secret burials case
A tense situation prevailed near Dharmasthala and neighbouring Ujire in Karnataka as two groups clashed over media coverage of the Dharmasthala secret burial case on Wednesday evening, injuring YouTubers and a reporter for a Kannada TV channel. A group of Dharmasthala residents had a heated argument with representatives of YouTube channels covering the investigation into the alleged secret burials that were conducted by a former sanitation worker between 1998 and 2014. At around 5 pm, several residents blocked the YouTubers near Shantivana, located close to Dharmasthala. According to the victims, the residents took exception to the 'negative media coverage' about the temple town and assaulted at least five people. Two vehicles were damaged, apart from cameras and phones of the YouTubers present at the site, they said. Ajay Anchan of the Kudla Rampage online channel, Santosh of Sanchari Studio, Abhishek of United Media, a cameraman, and another person were injured in the incident. A few of the victims suffered head injuries. However, all the five are recuperating at a private hospital in Ujire and said to be out of danger. Following the attack, a large number of supporters belonging to a group formed after the rape and murder of a college student in 2012 gathered at the place, along with 'supporters' of Dharmasthala. This resulted in a tense situation and additional police personnel rushed to the spot. A post shared by TANUSH M SHETTY 💥 (@ With the two groups at each other's throats, the police resorted to mild caning to control the situation. The 'supporters' of Dharmasthala then protested in front of the Dharmasthala police station. They raised slogans alleging that people with vested interests were defaming the temple town, and sought action against them. Meanwhile, supporters of the group seeking justice for the college student assaulted a reporter of a Kannada news TV channel. Harish Ramaswamy, the reporter, told that he was seeking a response to the attacks on YouTubers when the assailants attacked him alleging bias. The clashes took place amid the inspections being carried out in Dharmasthala by the Special Investigation Team, formed after the whistleblower filed a police complaint claiming that he had been forced to bury several bodies of alleged sexual assault and murder victims.
