On July 15, the Karnataka State Women’s Commission, led by Chairperson Nagalakshmi Choudhary, formally requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into numerous "unnatural deaths, disappearances, and sexual assault incidents" in Dharmasthala, a renowned temple town in Dakshina Kannada district.
The move was prompted by disturbing court testimony from a former sanitation worker who claimed he was ordered to bury hundreds of bodies between 1995 and 2014, some showing signs of sexual violence. The chairperson highlighted media and court reports that included discoveries of a human skull and allegations of mass burials around the temple premises.
Families of missing women and students have reportedly faced police indifference during attempts to register complaints. The Commission described the situation as “deeply alarming” and emphasized the urgent need for impartial investigations. They demanded data on all similar incidents from the past 20 years and called for the SIT to be led by senior police officials. As of now, the state government has not responded to the demand.
This action seeks transparency and accountability, aiming to bring closure to families and restore trust in law enforcement in the pilgrimage town.
