Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, July 15: In a significant development related to a 22-year-old missing case, the mother of Ananya Bhat—a medical college student who went missing in Dharmasthala in 2003 — met with the superintendent of police (SP) of Dakshina Kannada on Monday evening.

Sujatha Bhat, accompanied by her legal counsel, submitted a formal complaint to the SP seeking justice for her daughter, who mysteriously disappeared after visiting the Dharmasthala temple two decades ago.

The case has resurfaced following a recent letter sent to the SP by a man claiming that hundreds of bodies had been buried under pressure in Dharmasthala.

A few days later, the same individual appeared before the Beltangady court and gave a statement before the magistrate. He reportedly brought a human skeleton with him, which police have sent for forensic examination. He further stated that he had buried bodies at several locations in and around Dharmasthala and expressed willingness to identify those sites if an investigation was initiated.

Two lawyers representing the man have since demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged mass burials.

The claims of murders and secret burials in Dharmasthala have stirred widespread concern at both the state and national levels. In the midst of this, Sujatha Bhat has now come forward to file a formal complaint, stating that her daughter had also gone missing from the same area, and appealed to the authorities to ensure justice.