📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Krishna Chaitanya Velaga
Crime
Karnataka to set up SIT for Dharmasthala rape‑murder case
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 25 Sep 2026, 06:13 AM
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The Karnataka government announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the high‑profile rape‑murder case in Dharmasthala.
The state cabinet approved the creation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the Dharmasthala rape‑murder case, a crime that has drawn nationwide attention. The decision was announced by the Home Minister during a press briefing in Bengaluru, emphasizing the need for an impartial and thorough probe.
The incident, which involved the alleged abduction, sexual assault and killing of a young woman in the pilgrim town of Dharmasthala, sparked protests and demands for swift justice. Police investigations so far have faced criticism over alleged procedural lapses, prompting the state to seek an independent body.
The SIT will comprise senior officers from the Karnataka Police, the Crime Branch and the state’s forensic department, with a senior IAS officer designated as its head. The team is expected to submit an interim report within six weeks and a final report within three months.
State officials said the move aims to restore public confidence and ensure that any lapses in the earlier investigation are addressed. No further details on the composition or mandate of the SIT were disclosed at the briefing.
The incident, which involved the alleged abduction, sexual assault and killing of a young woman in the pilgrim town of Dharmasthala, sparked protests and demands for swift justice. Police investigations so far have faced criticism over alleged procedural lapses, prompting the state to seek an independent body.
The SIT will comprise senior officers from the Karnataka Police, the Crime Branch and the state’s forensic department, with a senior IAS officer designated as its head. The team is expected to submit an interim report within six weeks and a final report within three months.
State officials said the move aims to restore public confidence and ensure that any lapses in the earlier investigation are addressed. No further details on the composition or mandate of the SIT were disclosed at the briefing.