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Dharmasthala case: Sowjanya’s mother approaches high court, seeks probe into 74 unnatural deaths

  •   Wed, Jan 14 2026 09:04:42 AM

Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jan 14: The Karnataka high court has directed the state government to state its stand on a petition seeking directions to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe several deaths reported in Dharmasthala village between 1990 and 2021.

The public interest litigation has been filed by Kusumavathi, the mother of Sowjanya. A division bench comprising chief justice Vibhu Bakhru and justice C M Poonacha heard the matter. Counsel for the petitioner submitted that several deaths had occurred within the limits of the Dharmasthala police station. Although an SIT had been formed, it was investigating only one FIR, while no separate FIRs had been registered in other alleged murder and missing cases, which, the petitioner argued, was improper.

Appearing for the state, the government advocate informed the court that copies of the petition and related documents had not yet been received. The bench directed the petitioner to furnish copies to the government and instructed the state to obtain details and inform the court of its position. The matter has been posted for further hearing on February 3.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Commission for Women has sought directions to the government to furnish the SIT’s investigation report and progress details in connection with cases of unnatural deaths of women and missing young women reported within the Dharmasthala police station limits in Dakshina Kannada district.

In this regard, commission chairperson Dr Nagalakshmi Chowdhary has written to chief secretary Dr Shalini Rajneesh. The commission recalled that it had earlier urged the government to constitute an SIT under the leadership of senior police officers to conduct a comprehensive and impartial investigation into alleged cases of unnatural deaths, missing persons, assault and sexual violence in the Dharmasthala area. Acting on the commission’s request, the government had ordered that all criminal cases registered and being registered in other police stations across the state also be investigated.

However, the chairperson stated that despite the commission having already written to the head of the SIT, no response has been received so far.

 

 
 
 
 
  

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Title: Dharmasthala case: Sowjanya’s mother approaches high court, seeks probe into 74 unnatural deaths



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