Sowjanya case : Four months on, probe makes no headway

It has been four months since the Sowjanya rape and murder case was reported from Pangala near Dharmasthala. Despite several protests, Facebook campaign and many more appeals, so far there has been no headway in the investigations into the case except for the arrest of one person said to be mentally ill. It may be recalled here that Sowjanya, daughter of Chandappa Gowda, Kusuma couple, and a student of SDM Colelge, Ujire, who was reported missing on October 9 evening, was found dead near Pangala the next day.

Meanwhile, with even a CID probe underway into the case, there is widespread suspicion if even the CID has washed its hands off the case by adding the Sowjanya case to the long list of the mysterious cases reported from Dharmasthala in the past few years.

Already, the Belthangady taluk DYFI which staged a 24 hour dharna in front of the Taluk Panchayat Office has set February 28 as the deadline to hand over the case to the CBI. It has also warned of severe protest in front of DC office if the government failed to heed to the demand.