Karnataka State Women’s Commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Choudhary called for a statewide, grassroots movement demanding justice for women who have gone missing or faced violence in Dharmasthala over the past two decades. She was speaking at an event organised by the “Kondavaru Yaaru? Who Killed Women in Dharmasthala?" campaign team held at Gandhi Bhavan in Bengaluru on December 10.
Activists and writers from across the state joined to demand justice and accountability in the many unsolved rapes and murders in Dharmasthala under the campaign ‘Kondavaru Yaru’ meaning ‘who are the killers?’
Nagalakshmi Choudhary said that collective action was essential. “If one woman fights, it becomes a story, if all women fight, it becomes a revolution,” she said, urging students, neighbourhoods and communities across the state to join the movement. She added that the campaign was not only a women’s struggle but “a fight for humanity.”
The programme featured cultural expressions including tamate performances, songs, the release of a booklet, and the formal submission of signatures collected as part of the campaign. Organisers said 20,000 signatures had been gathered over ten days and submitted to the government through the Women’s Commission chairperson.
Nagalakshmi Choudhary, recounting her career journey from medicine to teaching, politics and eventually the commission, said many women begin their battles after facing humiliation. She emphasised that victims of disappearance, assault or murder should not be divided by religion or caste.
“A woman has no caste, religion or community. A woman is everything,” she said.
She also stated that an earlier probe by a special investigation team (SIT) had “gone off track”, prompting her to write again to the government seeking a comprehensive investigation into cases of missing girls and women over the past 20 years.
Speaking at the event, Mamatha Yajaman of Naveddu Nilladiddare organisation said each signature represented a voice demanding justice. She urged the government to ensure a thorough SIT investigation into all pending cases involving women in Dharmasthala.
Nagalakshmi also released a booklet at this event. Novelist Champavathi HS introduced the booklet and said, “This booklet is built on a feminist foundation.” The publication includes chapters on the history of violence, microfinance, religious–political intersections, media approaches and details of the “Kondavaru Yaaru?” movement.
The “Kondavaru Yaaru?” campaign was launched in August 2025 by women’s organisations and individuals who have long worked on women’s rights. The movement seeks a comprehensive SIT investigation into disappearances, unnatural deaths, sexual assaults and unresolved cases involving women in and around Dharmasthala. Since November 1, the campaign has conducted state-wide outreach in colleges, labour unions, self-help groups and villages, along with a postcard and signature initiative.