18-07-2025
Dharmasthala murders: Court-monitored SIT probe sought
Bengaluru: A retired Supreme Court judge and several activists have demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the shocking Dharmasthala murders, to be monitored by the Supreme Court or the Karnataka High Court. The case involves the alleged killings of multiple women and others. Dharmasthala is a renowned Hindu pilgrimage centre in Karnataka.
Addressing a press conference at the Bengaluru Press Club on Thursday, retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice V. Gopala Gowda demanded that, 'Given the gravity of the alleged offences and the distressing information suggesting that these crimes may have been committed by highly influential and powerful personalities with significant political clout, we strongly recommend the following immediate actions.'
'We urge the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), to be monitored by an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) level Police Officer, in conjunction with a sitting or retired Judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court of Karnataka,' Justice Gowda stated. This will ensure impartiality, thoroughness, and public confidence in the Investigation, he underlined.
On July 11, an unidentified complainant, who had claimed that he was forced to bury several bodies of women who were raped and murdered in Dharmasthala village, appeared before a court in Karnataka's Mangaluru district last Friday and recorded his statement. According to his statement, he fled Dharmasthala 11 years ago. He alleged that the bodies of the women showed clear signs of sexual assault. They were found without clothes or undergarments and bore injuries suggesting violent acts.
