The family of Narayana and his sister Yamuna, who were brutally killed in Dharmasthala village on September 21, 2012, has urged the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Belthangady to reopen the case and bring the real culprits to justice.
In their petition, Narayana’s children, Ganesh and Bharathi, alleged that their father and aunt were murdered due to land disputes. Narayana had been residing in his ancestral house at Burje with Yamuna and was reportedly under constant pressure and death threats for nearly five years to vacate the property.
According to the petition, Narayana was physically attacked twice in his courtyard and threatened again on September 20, 2012. The following night, after attending a play, Narayana and Yamuna returned home. Their bodies were discovered the next morning — Narayana’s head crushed with a stone, and Yamuna bludgeoned with a grinding stone. Since no valuables were stolen, the family believes the murders were driven solely by the motive of grabbing the land.
Despite filing a complaint with the then Superintendent of Police, the family claimed that no proper investigation was carried out. The SIT, in its acknowledgment, stated: “The complaint is being verified. Any information regarding a criminal act will be forwarded to the local police station for action.”
Speaking to mediapersons, Ganesh and Bharathi recalled that their father had retired as a mahout in Dharmasthala, while they and their mother were living at their grandmother’s house during the time of the crime. They now demand justice and accountability after more than a decade