Govt open to probe; no one will be protected, says Gundu Rao on Dharmasthala mass burial

Mangaluru/Bengaluru: Amid mounting pressure for an impartial inquiry, health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao Thursday suggested that the govt may consider a formal investigation into the Dharmasthala mass burial case, involving allegations of disappearances, unnatural deaths, and sexual assaults on women."The state govt is not protecting anybody in the Dharmasthala burial case, in which a witness is complaining of disappearances, unnatural deaths, and sexual assaults," said Rao, who is also minister in charge of Dakshina Kannada district. "There is no question of supporting or protecting anybody. We do not want to sensationalise the case, but we certainly want to pursue the truth," On allegations that the accused were being shielded, Rao said, "If there is evidence on the ground, and if proof emerges, then action will be taken as per law. As for Dakshina Kannada district police, they have been told to get to the truth, no matter what."On July 11, a witness submitted skeletal remains to a Belthangady court and recorded a statement. Rao described the witness' account as shocking. "It shook all of us up," said Rao. "If what the witness is saying is true, then definitely it has serious implications. It must be investigated thoroughly."Why no exhumation? In Bengaluru, retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Gopala Gowda and a group of legal professionals renewed their demand for a special investigation team (SIT) and criticised lapses in the police inquiry. "There are lapses on the part of the police in this matter," said Justice Gowda at a press conference. "It is the cardinal duty of the police to unearth the truth by exhuming the bodies, but that is not happening." Advocate S Balan alleged that 367 people, mostly young women, were victims of "mass murder, mass rape and mass burial". Asked how he arrived at the number, he said this is the number of missing cases and murder cases filed in and around Dharmasthala. He added that no charge sheets were filed in many of these cases. Meanwhile, advocates Dheeraj SJ and Ananya Gowda, who represent the complainant, alleged sensitive witness details were leaked to outsiders. "This alarming development strongly suggests that the investigating officer or someone with access to confidential witness statements is deliberately leaking sensitive information to unrelated outsiders," they said. Dakshina Kannada SP Arun K responded, "The advocates have not provided any details of what information has been leaked. If they provide us those details, we will verify."