Is there a place still on earth where human beings can feel safe? Even when the place is where people often go to seek protection. India’s rich culture has been significant throughout the world. Throughout history, human beings have always dealt with dilemmas. In times of despair, humans take shelter in God’s place. They put their faith in the Creator and seek protection in holy places. It is known that, irrespective of despair, dilemma or grief, holy places offer peace and purpose to those in need. One of the greatest religious towns in India is situated in Karnataka. Dharmasthala is a small temple town in Karnataka, India. The town is known for its centuries-old Dharmasthala Temple, devoted to the Hindu god Manjunatha.
The Hindu god Manjunatha is an incarnation of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva. Devotees pray to Lord Manjunatha primarily for well- being and prosperity. Lord Shiva is known as the “Transformer” or “Destroyer”. He is known to cause the destruction of the universe, eradicating every man’s ego and impure virtues of people’s intentions. Perhaps, the destruction of the entire universe is a necessity for regeneration and emergence of new beginnings.
Dharmasthala temple worships Lord Shiva, yet the horrific truths allegedly buried beneath its soil show the ironic nature of those who are masked behind faith. In contrast to such a religious place, evil has conspired and taken advantage of innocents for decades.
The Whistleblower’s Allegations
A man was appointed as a sanitation worker in Dharmasthala. He worked there for decades and unravelled the horrific truths of this place that may send shivers down our spines while reading. He was allegedly forced to clear up corpses of men, women and girls between 1995 and 2014. Most of them were women and young girls, in torn-up clothes and bruises in pelvic areas showing signs of struggle. It was evident through mere observations that these women were victims of sexual assault and murder.
Near the beginning of his employment, he noticed something strange yet gruesome in the water of the Nethravathi River. For many years, he saw corpses of women and girls in torn-up clothes floating through riffles of the river.
"The absence of undergarments, torn clothes, and injuries to their private parts indicated brutal sexual assault on them. Some bodies also had acid burn marks," he said.
He stated that his nightmare began soon after he was appointed as a sanitation worker in 1995. Later, he was forced to bury corpses of assaulted victims. Other times, he was given diesel and was ordered to burn it to remove all remaining traces. Despite his attempts to oppose those in power, who committed crimes and assaulted innocents, he was threatened and beaten. Out of fear, he remained silent for 11 years and endured all the burdens of the crimes he witnessed. He stated the last corpse he buried was in 2014, after which he fled away along with his family. He was mortified with guilt for his part in concealing the truth of these crimes.
"However, I am still living under the burden of guilt that does not subside." He said in a statement.
At last, after burying hundreds of corpses of victims, he unravelled the truths of these crimes. In 2014, the whistleblower reported 13 burial sites and the continuous crimes committed on the grounds of Dharmasthala to the local police station in Karnataka. He held himself accountable for remaining silent. He helped the police, wearing a black hooded jacket, discover the burial sites. Upon excavating these burial grounds, hundreds of bones and skulls were discovered. As the bones were old, it was not possible to identify the victims of this case. However, the allegations of the whistleblower were given credibility by the locals. These allegations aligned with the statements of the locals who whispered cases of missing women and young girls, unresolved rapes and mass murders since the 1970s.
After nearly two weeks of public outcry, legal pressure, and activist demands, the local government announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the whistleblower's explosive allegations. The SIT reopened questions that had remained buried for decades. The investigation accelerated; the locals were questioned, and the witnesses of these heinous crimes were taken into consideration. It was further revealed through various investigations that for decades people of the village had been filing missing reports of those who were the victims of these crimes. Yet, no action was taken by the local police, and the truth of Dharmasthala never got out. It was a matter of uncertainty and fear among people, which led them and the whistleblower to remain silent all these years.
Delayed Justice: When Time Becomes Another Barrier
It is known that “Justice delayed is justice denied”. When crimes of such magnitude occur, it is the sole responsibility of the government to take immediate action to uncover the heinous nature of those who have committed the crimes and to serve justice to those who have been victims of those crimes.
Yet, in most cases in India, especially when women are sexually assaulted, people have to march through the streets with posters asking for accountability and justice. It is disheartening to comprehend that in India, citizens have to fight and ask for the basic rights instead of trusting the government and the police to safeguard and protect them.
One of the most troubling aspects of the Dharmasthala case is the question of delayed justice. People have been witnesses to the crimes that took place in the lands of Dharmasthala for years. Yet no one spoke or reported any allegations against the criminals. The families of the victims were silenced and oppressed by those who were powerful. In despair, these villagers lost all hope and faith that they put in the government. They simply became other victims of the committed crimes. The whistleblower, though he felt enormous guilt for his wrongdoings, was still a part of the crimes that were committed. He helped the police and the SIT to investigate the whole case. Yet, he was held accountable for his actions and silence. It was only because of the allegations made by the whistleblower that it was possible to unravel crimes of such magnitude.
In contrast to the bravery of the whistleblower, it was rather difficult for the police to investigate these crimes. Delayed justice can have profound consequences. Physical evidence may deteriorate, potential crime scenes may be altered, records can be lost, and witnesses may relocate, pass away, or struggle to recall events accurately. Families of missing persons may spend years without answers, while those responsible may continue their lives without being held accountable. The longer an investigation is delayed, the more difficult it becomes to establish the truth with certainty.
Irrespective of the crime, the government must take immediate action and investigate the allegations. It was evident through the Dharmasthala mass murder and rape case and many other cases still pending in the doors of courts, that the government has failed and has been failing to hold the criminals accountable and to serve justice.
Irony
The irony of the Dharmasthala mass murder and rape case is the land where these heinous crimes took place. The land where people visit to seek protection, the land which gives hope to those who have lost all purpose in living, and the land which stood as a symbol of faith and trust; that very land has been witnessing the crimes all these years. Victims were not only murdered, but assaulted. Their families have been stripped away of their dignity, making them question not only the police or the government, but also their faith that they put in God.
Many, like the whistleblower, who wanted to serve God, clean his temples and be his devotee, were made to be a part of such monstrous crimes. They were burdened, silenced and filled with guilt and despair. On the other hand, those powerful people who committed these crimes were never held accountable, never questioned and never made to face the consequences of their actions. They go on living for generations.
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