Mangaluru: A delegation of the Karnataka Rashtra Samiti (KRS) Party arrived in Dharmasthala to seek justice for Sowjanya on Sunday. Members of the party visited the house of Sowjanya at Pangala in Dharmasthala and paid respects to her memorial.The party demanded a reinvestigation into the murder and action against those officials who allegedly showed lapses in the previous investigation. The delegation held discussions with Sowjanya’s mother, Kusumavathi, and grandfather, Babu Gowda, before visiting the Dharmasthala temple.Ravi Krishna Reddy, founder president of the party, said two years ago, during a march, the party urged the state govt to take immediate action by considering the Sowjanya murder as a special case and conducting a reinvestigation. “A special police investigation team should be formed, and the officers who already investigated the case should also be included in the investigation due to allegations of improper and unprofessional conduct,” he said.Deepak Rao, president of the party, said that the govt has failed to ensure justice for Sowjanya. The party will be with the family of Sowjanya to seek justice. To investigate cases of rape and murder of children and women, a special police force or unit should be created, and all such cases should fall under its jurisdiction. Special fast-track courts should be established for the swift resolution of rape and murder cases involving children and women, he said.He said the conviction rate in crimes against women is very low, and this aspect needs to be looked into by the govt. “A Sowjanya Women’s Safety Commission should be set up to provide mental and financial support to victims and their families and to regularly review the progress of investigations and trials. This commission should have the authority to enforce measures for the safety of children and women in public and workplaces. The govt should draft the necessary laws for this purpose,” Rao urged.
