Provide SIT full autonomy in Dharmasthala case, says AIDWA | Mangaluru News
Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada district convention of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), adopted a resolution to urge the Karnataka govt for a fair probe by the SIT into the Dharmasthala mass burial case. The forum demanded that unnatural deaths of Padmalatha, Vedavalli, Sowjanya, Yamuna, and other women reported in Dharmasthala should also be brought under the SIT probe.An unidentified man filed a complaint stating that he was forced to bury the bodies in the village. The case gained national attention after the man, whose identity has been concealed, appeared in Belthangady court to record his statement before the judge. Following strong public pressure, the state govt formed a SIT to probe the case, appointing officers known for their professionalism and competence. While this raised new hopes among the public, there is a natural concern about whether a fair investigation will be conducted without political interference, given the positions expressed publicly by the state’s major political parties, both ruling and opposition, reads the resolution.“The state govt must address these concerns, provide SIT full autonomy, and ensure fair investigation. Maximum security should be provided to the witness-complainant and his lawyers. The investigation should not be limited to the allegations of buried bodies, but should also cover cases like the 1980s abduction and murder of student Padmalatha, the Soujanya case, and the 2012 murder of elephant mahout Narayana and his sister Yamuna. The AIDWA district conference insists on this, passing a resolution unanimously,” members resolved.The conference also resolved to urge the govt for strict law enforcement to prevent atrocities on women. Writer and professor Sabitha Bannadi inaugurated the conference. Veteran poet Chandrakala Nandavara, AIDWA state secretary Devi Mandya, reception committee president Flavy Crasta, and others were present.
