Women's Justice Convention Held In Belthangady, Demands Submitted To Govt

Belthangady : Women’s rights organisations under the banner “Who Killed Women in Dharmasthala?” on Tuesday submitted a charter of demands to the Karnataka government through the Belthangady Tahsildar, seeking justice for families of victims and stronger safety measures for women in and around Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district, where they alleged, several cases of rape, unnatural deaths, disappearances and murders have been reported over the years.

The memorandum was submitted on December 16, observed nationally as Anti-Rape Day in memory of the 2012 Nirbhaya case. Marking the occasion, the groups also organised a Women’s Justice Convention (Mahila Nyaya Samavesha) in Belthangady, stating that the movement, launched in August this year, aims to stand with victims’ families, question institutional failures and amplify voices suppressed by patriarchal structures.

In their representation, the organisations stressed the need to protect the independence and transparency of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala-related cases. They referred to recent allegations by complainants that certain SIT officials behaved improperly when victims attempted to file complaints, and urged the government to ensure such incidents are not repeated.

The groups demanded that, in line with the government order constituting the SIT, all unresolved cases over the past decade, including those involving missing women, unnatural deaths, sexual assaults and murders, be subjected to a comprehensive investigation. They further called for assured security and confidentiality for complainants and witnesses under the Witness Protection Scheme, seeking public assurances from the SIT, the state government and statutory women’s commissions.

Referring to judicial observations in the 2012 rape and murder case of a PU girl, the memorandum urged the government to take immediate action against officials found guilty of dereliction of duty. The organisations sought strict enforcement of penal provisions, including Section 166A of the IPC, against officers who failed to act in accordance with the law during investigations.

The petition also called for the establishment of an independent support group comprising women’s rights experts to assist and monitor the SIT, and sought the implementation of stringent safety protocols in public and religious places, including CCTV surveillance and women’s help desks, to ensure women’s safety and create awareness.

The groups further demanded that internal complaints committees under the POSH Act be made mandatory in religious institutions across all faiths and that Local Committees at the taluk level be activated to effectively address cases of sexual harassment. They also urged the government to expedite the implementation of recommendations of the Ugrappa Committee and the Justice Verma Committee through expert review, wide public dissemination and time-bound execution.

In addition, the memorandum emphasised the need for value-based education that promotes gender equality, mutual respect and social responsibility, and called for stringent action against those who target women protesters with obscene abuse on social media, along with strengthening the legal framework to address such offences.