Karnataka: In a significant development in the Dharmasthala mass burial case, IPS officer Soumyalatha, who was part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the alleged mass burials and sexual assaults in Karnataka’s Dharmasthala, has resigned from the team. This development has been confirmed by the Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara. According to an ANI report, the home minister had a conversation with the reporters on July 24 and said that he was not officially informed about it. However, unofficially, the home minister said that he has have come to know that she has written a letter about stepping down from the team. Parameshwara said that an IPS officer Soumyalatha has cited personal reasons for stepping away and has unofficially informed about her decision. The Home Minister concluded saying that the IPS officer will be replaced.
Did two IPS officers wanted to be excluded from the SIT team?
Earlier, there were speculations that two IPS officers had sought to be excluded from the team that has been formed to probe the Dharmasthala mass burial case. However, the Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara had refuted those claims and said that these claims were not true. “I am not aware of it. They are senior officers in responsible positions,” the Karnataka home minister had said that in response to a question on whether any member of the SIT has opted not to be in the team citing personal reasons.
What is the Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case?
In the Dharmasthala mass burial case, a former sanitation worker has alleged that he was forced to cremate the bodies of several women and minors between 1998 and 2014. The sanitation worker claimed that many of these bodies showed clear signs of sexual assault. An India Today report mentions the sanitation worker filed a complaint on July 3 and sought anonymity citing threats to his life. The sanitation worker said that he has witnessed some of the killings and was forced to bury or burn the bodies under the death threat.
Also read: Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case: Victim’s Sister To Support SIT Probe On This Condition
