Mangaluru/Bengaluru: As the Special Investigation Team (SIT) prepares to begin its probe into the sensational allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala, the legal counsel for a mother whose daughter went missing from the region two decades ago has urged the govt to establish a dedicated helpline for potential victims and witnesses.Advocate Manjunath N, representing Sujatha Bhat—mother of Ananya Bhat, a first-year MBBS student who disappeared in 2003 from Dharmasthala—said several people had reached out to him after the SIT was constituted.“Since the SIT was constituted, I received a few calls from the relatives of individuals who allege horrible experiences and tragedies at Dharmasthala and want to file police complaints, but are uncomfortable with complaining to their local police stations. Therefore, I request the govt to set up a helpline for the already constituted SIT and to publicise the same,” he said.He further urged the govt to officially designate the SIT office as a police station. “We are aware that in cases where the SIT acts as a ‘police station’ but is itself not notified as a ‘police station’, the accused exploit it and seek stays from courts of law,” Manjunath added.The SIT, headed by director general of police (internal security division) Pronab Mohanty, includes DIG (recruitment) MN Anucheth and IPS officers Soumyalatha SK and Jitendra Kumar Dayama.In Bengaluru, home minister G Parameshwara said that the team is set to begin its investigation. “We have already given them (SIT) instructions to go there (Dharmasthala) immediately. Based on the records available at police station, they will begin the investigation. Instructions have gone to the local police, too, from the DG to give the related records and documents to the SIT. Mohanty (SIT chief) and his team will probably go there in a couple of days and will begin their work,” he said.Responding to reports that two SIT officers might step down, the minister added, “If anyone in the team makes a request not to be part, citing reasons, and convinces, they will be replaced. For now, all four of them are part of the team. Yesterday I saw some media reports, but it has not come to me. If anyone from the team has requested the DG or the commissioner, they will be replaced.”
