Mangaluru: The state govt has ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to reinvestigate the 2012 Dharmasthala rape and murder case. The move follows a Supreme Court direction on Monday asking the Karnataka govt to constitute an SIT for a fresh probe into the alleged rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl.The SIT will be headed by IGP N Shashi Kumar, former Mangaluru City police commissioner. Members include current Mangaluru City police commissioner CH Sudheer Kumar Reddy, SP (state intelligence) Nisha James, SP CID Lokesh Jagalasar, and additional SP, Bengaluru Rural, Venkatesh Prasanna.The team will reopen Crime No. 250/2012 registered under IPC Sections 376 and 302. The girl’s body was found in bushes near Mannasanka on Oct 10, 2012. She was partially disrobed, and her left hand was tied to a tree stem with a shawl or veil from her college uniform. Relatives identified the body as the missing student.The investigation was moved to CID on Dec 12, 2012, and later transferred to the CBI on Nov 6, 2013. The CBI registered a case on March 7, 2014 under sections 376 and 302.
