Protest held in Bengaluru demanding thorough SIT probe in Sowjanya murder case

A protest was held at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park demanding action in the decade-old rape and murder case of Sowjanya on Friday, July 28, led by the Coalition of Progressive Organisations (Pragatipara Sanghatanegala Okkoota). Their main demand was a fair and thorough investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the 2012 rape and murder case of Sowjanya in Dakshina Kannada, which has regained public attention lately. The protesters are hoping for a fresh opportunity for justice under the newly elected Congress government in Karnataka. 

“We have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He assured us that he would speak to a lawyer and ensure justice. People have stood with us even after 11 years, and even though it has been so long, I fully believe that we will get justice,” said Sowjanya’s mother, Kusumavathi, who was also present at the protest.

During the protest, the demonstrators voiced a series of demands. Firstly, they called for a thorough investigation by the SIT into the matter. They also sought action against Dr Adam and Dr Rashmi N, both gynaecologists at the Belthangady Medical Hospital, for allegedly failing to provide proper postmortem reports. The protesters also demanded accountability from other officials involved in the case, such as then Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada, Abhishek Goyal, the investigating officer Yogesh Kumar, and Dr Mahabala Shetty, who examined Santhosh Rao, the suspect presented by the police who spent six years in prison before he was found innocent. The protesters also demanded appropriate compensation for Santhosh and his family. 

After a long period of 11 years, the court finally acquitted Santhosh of all charges on June 16. Throughout the entire ordeal, Sowjanya’s family consistently expressed their doubts about Santhosh's involvement and firmly expressed belief that the case had not received the thorough investigation it deserved.

Note: TNM has used Sowjanya’s name with written consent from her mother.