Women’s Groups Demand Speedy Probe Into Dharamsthala Rape, Murders

New Delhi: Several women’s organisations have unitedly called for a speedy time-bound special investigation, free of any political interference, into the rape and murders unearthed in the temple town of Dharamsthala in Karnataka.

In a joint statement, the women’s organisations, such as AIDWA, NFIW, AIPWA, AIMSS, among others, expressed “distress” at the “abysmal negligence shown by the state government and police authorities towards the horrifying case of brutal rape and murders of hundreds young girls and women in Dharamsthala.”

Referring to a statement by an ex-sanitation worker who brought the heinous crime to light of being allegedly forced to bury of women, mainly schoolgirls, the women’s organisations demanded the full government protection be given to the whistle blower and his family, the exhumation of the bodies be immediately ordered to ensure that evidence is not destroyed, safety of the lawyers of the complainants and whistleblowers must be ensured. Also, parents/family/guardians of missing girls and women who came forward to depose must be given full protection and support.

Read the full press statement below:

NATIONAL WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS DEMAND SPEEDY INVESTIGATION AND

ARREST OF THE ACCUSED IN THE DHARAMSTHALA RAPE AND MURDERS 

The undersigned national women’s organisations are distressed at the abysmal negligence shown by the state government and police authorities towards the horrifying case of brutal rape and murders of hundreds young girls and women in Dharamsthala. The case first came to light on 22 June, nearly a month ago. The government dragged its feet and formed the Special Investigating Team only on 14 July.

An ex-sanitation worker who is the whistleblower has asked for the exhumation of the bodies which he was forced to bury under threat. The confession of the sanitation worker before the Judicial Magistrate gives gruesome details of the sexual assaults, murders, burials and cremations.

It is shocking that hundreds of people were being raped, murdered and burnt or buried since 1995 and it did not come to light till now. Some parents have stated that they had lodged complaints but the Dharamsthala police were totally apathetic. A status report of all the missing persons registered particularly in the Dharamsthala police station must be prepared.  This clearly reveals the influence and power of the Dharamsthala temple trust and their close proximity to political power.

The Karnataka state government must fulfil its constitutional duty of bringing justice to the victims and ensure that the accused, however powerful, do not go scot-free. This Dharamsthala case has come close on the heels of the Hassan sexual assaults on women. The state government must take steps to make Karnataka safe for women.

The women’s organisations demand that

1.      The government must ensure full protection to the whistle blower and his family.

2.     The exhumation of the bodies must be immediately ordered to ensure that evidence is not destroyed by the culprits.

3.     Speedy timebound investigation must be ensured.

4.     Safety of the lawyers of the complainants and whistleblowers must be ensured.

5.     Parents/family/guardians of missing girls and women who came forward to depose must be given full protection and support.

6.     The SIT must be allowed to carry out its investigation without political interference.  

ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION (AIDWA)    

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDIAN WOMEN (NFIW)

ALL INDIA PROGRESSIVE WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION (AIPWA)

COORDINATION POW-PMS-IJM

ALL INDIA MAHILA SANSKRITIK SANGHATAN (AIMSS)