Karnataka HC Vacates Stay on SIT Probe into Dharmasthala Mass Burial Allegations
Court clears way for Special Investigation Team to resume inquiry into alleged mass burials and missing women at the Dakshina Kannada pilgrimage site
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday vacated its interim stay on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe against petitioners Girish Mattennavar, Mahesh Thimmarodi, Vittal Gowda, and T. Jayanth, who had sought quashing of a First Information Report (FIR) relating to alleged mass burials at Dharmasthala, a prominent pilgrim centre in Dakshina Kannada district.
The FIR, registered at the Dharmasthala police station, pertains to allegations of mass burials and missing women and girls under its jurisdiction. The case was initially filed based on complaints by the same petitioners, prompting the State Government to constitute a SIT to probe the serious charges.
With the stay now vacated, the SIT is set to resume its investigation into the allegations.
In July, the State Government appointed an SIT led by Dr Pranav Mohanthy, Inspector General of Police, Internal Security Division, Bengaluru, with IPS officers M.N. Anucheth, Soumya Latha, and Jitendra Kumar Dayama as members.
The probe follows claims by a former sanitation worker at the Dharmasthala temple, dedicated to deity Manjunatha Swamy (Lord Shiva), who alleged that he had buried hundreds of bodies of women on instructions from temple authorities between 1995 and 2015.
The SIT has been tasked with submitting a detailed report on the alleged mass burials and missing persons to the State Government through the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Karnataka.