Sonia Gandhi Urged to Act as Dharmasthala Horror Deepens
Women activists demand justice for decades of alleged abuse, disappearances, and cover-ups.
In a powerful appeal that has brought renewed focus to a long-standing and deeply disturbing issue, nearly 50 women from various fields have written to senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, urging her to ensure that the investigation into the Dharmasthala abuse allegations remains centered on justice for the victims—primarily women and girls. The group includes notable figures such as actor-theatre activist Arundhati Nag, filmmakers Kavita Lankesh and Suman Kittur, writer-journalist Vijayamma, and gender rights activist Akkai Padmashali.
Titled “Kondavaru Yaaru? Who Killed the Women in Dharmasthala?”, the campaign seeks to re-establish the victims and survivors at the heart of the discourse, warning that political agendas and sensationalist media coverage are threatening to derail the purpose of the inquiry. In their letter to Gandhi, dated September 4 and shared with the press a day later, the signatories stated that the investigation had quickly devolved into a spectacle, undermining what should have been a moment for truth, accountability, and justice.
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The women expressed deep concern over a series of cases that have long haunted the Dakshina Kannada region, including the Soujanya case in 2012, Padmalatha in 1986, and Vedavalli in 1979. They cited Right to Information data showing that between 2001 and 2012 alone, 424 deaths—many involving women and girls—were recorded in the small towns of Ujire and Dharmasthala. These deaths, they argue, are not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of systemic neglect and possible cover-ups.
The letter also recalled the findings of a 2018 expert committee led by former MP V S Ugrappa, which reported an unusually high number of unnatural deaths in the region. The committee had recommended forming a special police force and launching a dedicated investigation, but its recommendations were never implemented.
The latest controversy erupted after a man named C. N. Chinnaiah claimed that multiple bodies, some of women allegedly showing signs of sexual assault, had been buried secretly in forested areas near the temple town over a period of two decades. Though he was later arrested for perjury, his testimony led to the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has since recovered skeletal remains at two sites along the Netravathi River.
Despite these developments, the signatories expressed alarm over statements by political leaders that could influence or undermine the SIT’s work. They called on Sonia Gandhi to ensure that members of the Congress party in power in Karnataka refrain from any such interference, and that the focus of the investigation remains squarely on uncovering the truth behind the many unnatural deaths and alleged crimes.
The activists also demanded that the state government hold accountable the officials responsible for earlier failures in the investigation, particularly in the Soujanya case, as directed by the Karnataka High Court in its September 2024 judgment. Their letter is not just a call for justice, but a warning: without action, the lives and dignity of countless women could again be swept under the rug.
While the Congress government has formed the SIT to probe the matter, opposition parties including the BJP and JD(S) have demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) inquiry, alleging that the current investigation is part of a smear campaign against the revered Dharmasthala temple administration. In response, the temple's custodian Veerendra Heggade has welcomed the SIT’s formation and pledged full cooperation.
The women behind this letter insist that the pursuit of justice must not be hijacked by political battles or diluted by media sensationalism. Their campaign seeks to re-center the narrative around the victims—those whose voices have long been ignored in a place where silence has claimed far too many lives.
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