Sister demands justice in 38-year-old case from Dharmasthala mass burial case
In a significant appeal to Karnataka’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), Indravathi, the sister of the late Padmalatha, has sought a fresh probe into her sibling’s mysterious death. The plea comes 38 years after the incident, which took place in Dharmasthala, and was originally closed without convictions.
Indravathi visited the SIT office in Mangaluru on Monday, accompanied by her family, to submit a formal complaint. Her request is tied to the ongoing Dharmasthala mass burial case, in which the SIT is already investigating multiple suspicious deaths.
She has specifically urged investigators to reopen Padmalatha’s file, exhume her remains, and gather new evidence that could confirm allegations of abduction, rape, and murder.
Disappearance and grim discovery
According to the complaint, Padmalatha was a second-year pre-university student at SDM College, Ujire in December 1986. On the evening of December 22, 1986, she was last seen after reaching Dharmasthala.
Her disappearance led to an anxious search by her family and community. Nearly two months later, on February 17, 1987, her decomposed body was discovered near the Neriya stream, a remote location in the region.
The family alleges that she had been abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered.
Political attention but no justice
Indravathi’s late father, Devananda, was a CPI(M) leader who led an active campaign for justice. He pushed for accountability and demanded strict punishment for those involved. Public outrage at the time prompted the then Karnataka government to order a Crime Investigation Department (COD) inquiry.
The matter was even raised in the Karnataka Assembly, prompting the then Home Minister M. Rachaiah to visit the family’s residence in Boliyar. Rachaiah had assured them that justice would be delivered.
However, the investigation failed to produce conclusive results, and the case was eventually closed.
Burial with hope, not closure
In her SIT complaint, Indravathi explained why the family never performed a cremation for Padmalatha.
“We buried her body with the hope that one day justice would be served,” she wrote.
She expressed her willingness to act as a witness if the investigation is revived. She believes that forensic testing of her sister’s remains could finally confirm the cause of death and validate their long-standing allegations.
Call for exhumation and forensic probe
Indravathi has appealed for:
- Exhumation of Padmalatha’s remains from the burial site.
- A full forensic re-examination, using modern DNA and toxicology methods.
- Collection of any new witness statements.
- Reopening the criminal file under the SIT’s purview.
Her submission argues that improved forensic science, coupled with a renewed investigative push, could uncover evidence overlooked decades ago.
Link to Dharmasthala mass burial case
The fresh appeal coincides with the SIT’s current investigation into the Dharmasthala mass burial case, where multiple bodies have been found under suspicious circumstances. The overlap has given the family new hope that Padmalatha’s case will be linked to broader patterns of alleged crimes in the region.
The SIT has not yet issued a public response, but legal experts note that reopening a decades-old case will require judicial approval for exhumation and a new chain of evidence.