Feminist group urges Karnataka CM to ensure independent probe in Dharmasthala crimes

By A Representative 

The All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) has issued an urgent appeal to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding a "fair and comprehensive investigation and accountability" into the horrific series of crimes against women in Dharmasthala that have spanned decades. 

The national coalition, in its letter dated October 25, 2025, throws its nationwide weight behind the ongoing state-wide campaign, "Kondavaru Yaaru? Who Killed Women in Dharmasthala?", which has been relentlessly highlighting a systematic pattern of disappearances, rapes, unnatural deaths, and murders of women in the small region of Belthangady Taluk, Dakshina Kannada district.

While acknowledging the state government's prompt formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in July 2025 to investigate the 'mass burial' case, ALIFA expressed deep concern over the probe's scope and independence. The alliance stated that the SIT would certainly require more time and resources to conclude its investigation and submit a comprehensive report, a feat they believe is only possible through the Chief Minister's personal intervention and oversight. 

The letter calls for the SIT's mandate to be formally expanded beyond the "mass burial" case to cover all previous unresolved crimes in Dharmasthala. It further demands that the SIT must remain fully independent and protected from external pressures from political, administrative, or religious quarters, and that it should investigate the systemic lapses and police failures over the past decades where impartial investigations were not conducted despite complaints from aggrieved families.

The alliance has fully endorsed the 10-point demand charter of the "Kondavaru Yaaru" campaign. These demands include a comprehensive re-investigation of all murder and rape cases from the last decade, including high-profile ones like Soujanya, Padmalatha, and Yamuna/Narayana, which were closed despite identified killers. 

The campaign also calls for a probe into the suspicious deaths of witnesses linked to these cases, such as Ravi Poojary and Varija Acharya. 

Furthermore, it urges strict legal action against officials for dereliction of duty, as directed by the Karnataka High Court, and insists the state government ensure the safety, anonymity, and protection of complainants and witnesses, along with fair compensation for victims' families. 

For long-term reform, the demands include the expedited implementation of the Ugrappa Committee and Justice Verma Committee reports, making POSH-mandated internal committees mandatory in all religious institutions, and implementing healthy, respect-based sex education.

The letter frames the Dharmasthala case as a "litmus test" for the Congress government, which was voted into power on the promise of upholding constitutional values. It warns that the women of Karnataka and India will be watching the government's actions and decisions.

ALIFA has also urged the government to welcome the inputs of independent women's rights activists to support the SIT and to take strong legal action against anyone attempting to obstruct the investigation, no matter how influential they may be. 

The appeal is signed by over 40 prominent feminists, academics, lawyers, and social activists from across India, including Arundhati Ghosh, Dr. Gabriele Dietrich, Anuradha Talwar, and Adv. Shalu Nigam, signaling a pan-Indian solidarity with the victims' families who have been seeking justice for decades.