Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sep 30: A discrepancy of 30 Unnatural Death Report (UDR) cases has emerged between the records of the Beltangady police station and the data gathered by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala case.

While Beltangady police station records show 1,480 UDR cases registered between 1998 and 2014, documents collected by the SIT from various sources, including the state crime records bureau and gram panchayats, indicate 1,510 UDR cases during the same period. The SIT is currently examining the discrepancy between these two sets of records.

These details are part of a comprehensive report submitted on March 24, 2026, to the chief secretary of the government of Karnataka by Dr Pranab Mohanty, director general of police (Internal Security Division) and head of the SIT for the Dharmasthala case.

The state government had formed the SIT on July 19, 2025, for a comprehensive investigation into Crime No 39/2025 (under BNS section 211(a)) of the Dharmasthala police station. The SIT is also investigating unnatural deaths, missing cases of women and girls, rapes, murders, and suspicious deaths that occurred in Dharmasthala and Ujire villages between 1998 and 2014.

Women's Commission seeks progress report

Dr Nagalakshmi Chowdhary, chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, sent a reminder on August 6, 2026, to chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh, seeking directions to provide the Commission with a comprehensive progress report on the SIT investigation into Crime No 39/2025.

The Commission's letter emphasized that the SIT was formed for a comprehensive probe into serious atrocities against women and girls, and it was essential for the Commission to review the progress from the perspective of women's safety and justice.

The Commission had earlier written to the chief secretary on January 12, 2026, seeking a progress report, but noted that no such report had been received from the SIT as of August 6. The Commission requested directions to the SIT chief to urgently submit the comprehensive investigation report concerning the missing cases, murders, and unnatural deaths of women and girls in and around Dharmasthala.

SIT response to Women's Commission

In response to the Women's Commission's letter, Dr Pranab Mohanty, DGP (CID and SIT head), wrote to the Commission's chairperson on August 31, 2026. He stated that a comprehensive report on the inquiry and investigation progress regarding Crime No 39/2025 had already been submitted to the chief secretary on March 24, 2026. A copy of this March 24 report was attached in a sealed envelope with the August 31 letter.

The report clarified that the SIT investigation is not limited only to the statements of the complainant and the current accused, 'Chinnayya'. It noted that during searches within the Dharmasthala police station limits, seven skulls and human skeletons were found. These have been sent for expert opinion to determine gender and cause of death. Investigations are underway to identify them by tracing blood relatives based on available evidence.

Key cases under SIT scanner:

• 2002 UDR No 37/2002: The SIT verified that the location of the unnatural death was the Boliyaru Kudraya forest area, as mentioned by the petitioner. The body of an unidentified young woman was found there, and a UDR case was registered. The petitioner and related witnesses have been questioned.

• 2009 unidentified woman's murder: The complainant in Crime No 39/2025 claimed to have buried the body of a woman murdered by an acid attack on her face, by the roadside near the present Dharmasthala police station. K B Veerappa Malekudiya had filed a complaint regarding this on September 18, 2009. A case was registered in Beltangady station (Crime No 206/2009) under IPC sections 302 and 201. Since the victim's heirs were not found, the body was buried at the Mangaluru Nandigudde cemetery on September 30, 2009, by contractor Maxim D'Silva, on the orders of Mangaluru City Corporation officials following a request from Wenlock district hospital.

• 2010 murder in Sharavathi lodge: Surendra Ballal filed a complaint on April 6, 2010, stating that an unidentified person, who gave the name Narasimharaju in the records, murdered a woman by stuffing cloth in her mouth and strangling her in room number 246 of the Sharavathi lodge in Dharmasthala between 6:50 am on April 4 and 6:30 am on April 6. Based on this, a case (Crime No 83/2010) was registered under IPC sections 302 and 201. Although station records mention an autopsy, the report is unavailable, and the necessary documents are being scrutinized.

• 2003 Netravati case: On September 2, 2003, the bodies of an unidentified man aged 35-45 and a minor girl aged 10-12 were found in the river near the vented dam at the Netravati bathing ghat in Dharmasthala. A case of accidental drowning (UDR No 69/2003) was registered at the Beltangady station under CrPC section 174. While station records mention the burial of the bodies, discrepancies were found between the burial details in the UDR registration and the gram panchayat's burial records, which are being verified.

Data discrepancies

According to Beltangady station records, a total of 1,480 UDR cases were registered between 1998 and 2014, with the yearly breakdown as follows: 75 in 1998, 78 in 1999, 81 in 2000, 90 in 2001, 101 in 2002, 95 in 2003, 88 in 2004, 69 in 2005, 89 in 2006, 95 in 2007, 82 in 2008, 96 in 2009, 89 in 2010, 70 in 2011, 92 in 2012, 80 in 2013, and 110 in 2014.

However, data from various other sources indicates a total of 1,510 cases: 78 in 1998, 79 in 1999, 82 in 2000, 95 in 2001, 102 in 2002, 99 in 2003, 91 in 2004, 72 in 2005, 93 in 2006, 96 in 2007, 85 in 2008, 99 in 2009, 83 in 2010, 70 in 2011, 96 in 2012, 80 in 2013, and 110 in 2014.

The SIT has received 73 complaint petitions so far. It is collecting information regarding UDRs, missing persons, and murder cases from local stations, outposts, the AC office, gram panchayats, DCRB, SCRB, and the temple trust's information office. The process of investigating, consolidating, and analyzing this information is ongoing.

In its March 24 report, the SIT clarified that it does not have suo motu powers to investigate older cases and other crimes related to women mentioned in the Women's Commission's letter. As per the government's original order, an impartial investigation can only be conducted and a report submitted if the DG and IGP transfer those cases to the SIT and issue an order.

The SIT stated that the investigation report and documents related to Crime No 39/2025 of the Dharmasthala station were submitted to the court on November 20, 2025, under section 215 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Further investigation into missing persons, rapes, murders, and unnatural/suspicious deaths related to Crime No 39/2025 is being conducted impartially in all aspects, as per the government order.