Karnataka Government Launches SIT Probe into Alleged Dharmasthala Atrocities

The Karnataka government has ordered the creation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine serious allegations of mass murder, rape, and burial in Dharmasthala. This action comes in response to a request from the Karnataka State Women's Commission highlighting disturbing media reports and urging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take decisive action.

The media coverage referenced by the commission includes a statement alleging that bodies were clandestinely buried over two decades in the region. The government, finding the claims to be of significant concern, has tasked the SIT with investigating these allegations under applicable laws at the Dharmasthala police station.

Compounding the urgency, a former sanitation worker at the Dharmasthala temple, identified only as a remorseful whistleblower, has filed a formal complaint detailing a long-standing cover-up of body disposals in Dakshina Kannada district. With assurances of legal protection, he stands ready to disclose full details to the authorities, prompting a comprehensive inquiry that could unveil more about the alleged incidents.

(With inputs from agencies.)