People want to know who the real culprit is, says seer

Mangaluru: Sri Dharmapalanatha Swamiji of Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Mutt, Mangaluru, said people want to know whi the culprits are behind the Sowjanya rape and murder. He was speaking at a protest organized by Prajaprabhutva Vedike and Rashtriya Hindu Jagarana Vedike to seek justice for Sowjanya in Belthangady on Sunday. “The CBI court has acquitted Santhosh Rao, who was languishing in jail for several years. The government should help him lead a dignified life. Further, inquiry should be conducted against the investigation officer in the Sowjanya case and the medical officer who conducted the autopsy. The mutt will be with the people to fight for justice. The government should ensure justice to Sowjanya,” he added. Social activist Girish Mattannavar said probe agencies have failed to conduct a proper investigation against the suspects in the case. “Activist Mahesh Shetty Thimarody has been supporting Sowjanya’s mother Kusumavathi for the past 12 years. Even in the Nirbhaya case, the mother was the power behind all fights for justice. Those who criticize Thimarody should understand that rape is a disease like Covid-19, which can spread fast. The nation has been witnessing one rape every 27 minutes as per a NCRB report. The significance of this protest seeking justice for Sowjanya is that all sections of society including the Left and Right ideologists are united,” he said. Odanadi Seva Samsthe co-founder ML Parashuram said people should stand with the family of Sowjanya, who have been fighting for justice for the past 12 years. “Santhosh Rao, who was acquitted in the Sowjanya case, has suffered a lot and his family faced all difficulties in life even without committing any crime,” he added.Social activist Prasanna Ravi took the government to task for not ordering a reinvestigation into the case. “It took 11 years for the family of Santhosh Rao, who was booked in the Sowjanya case, to get a clean chit from the court. How many more years should we wait to get justice for Sowjanya?” she said. Sri Rama Sene leader Pramod Muthalik said the government should sanction Rs 25 lakh each to the families of Santhosh Rao and Sowjanya. He also urged the MLAs and MPs of the coastal districts to hand over Rs 5 lakh each to both the families. Sowjanya’s mother Kusumavathi, activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, Thammanna Shetty, and advocate Mohith Kumar, who appeared for Santhosh Rao in the high court, spoke.
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