Media ‘activism’ in Dharmasthala rape and murder case

While the Delhi rape case in December 2012 and the Mumbai gang rape of a photo journalist in August this year ignited widespread reactions from civil society and a quick course of action from the government, the investigation of a similar and equally brutal rape and murder case that took place in Dharmasthala of Karnataka a year ago is unfortunately being sabotaged. Sowjanya, a class 12 student of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara (SDM) College was raped and murdered in the world famous temple town of Dharmasthala, about 80 kilometres away from Mangalore, on October 9, 2012. Attempts have been made to hush up the case, as the culprits are alleged to be closely associated to the Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala management, which includes the religious head D. Veerendra Heggade’s nephew Nischal Jain. Unfortunately, the media in the region has woken up far too late, most of them out of pressure rather than pro-activism. But, better late than never! The case is now turning out to be a major embarrassment for the Dharmasthala temple management and the State government as well, what with a series of public protests and rallies taking place on a daily basis demanding thorough investigation.  

Sowjanya – the victim

Sowjanya went missing on the evening of October 9, 2012. Her body was found in a mutilated state on the following day morning. The post-mortem reports confirmed that she was gang-raped. Thereafter, the police arrested Santhosh Kumar who is said to be mentally unstable and found roaming in the area. It is alleged by the family members and many others that Santhosh Kumar has been unjustly victimised and planted as a proxy for the real culprits who are out there roaming freely. The media a year ago never went behind the case and forgot the incident within a few days. Added to that, the Delhi rape case of December 2012 took all the attention away from an equally important case like this. Fortunately, the never-give-up attitude of the family members of the victim and the support of social activists did not allow the case to die down. Now, more details are coming out. With pressure mounting and protests rising by the day, the Karnataka State government has finally, after much delay and reluctance, decided to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Hopefully, justice will be done to the deceased victim.

What was very unfortunate about the entire episode in the last one year is the lacklustre response of the local media. Not a single newspaper or television channel tried hard to go dig deeper or simply did not muster enough courage. It is only this October, after one year of the incident that TV 9, a Kannada news channel, has gone all out to expose the skeletons in the closets of the Dharmasthala fiefdom. While one can debate as to the actual intentions behind the channel’s ‘activism’ now a year after, at least its campaign is having a ripple effect, even as its activism borders media trial. A series of reportage and panel discussions were held by the channel for days together. Interestingly, on October 12, 2013 when the channel was broadcasting investigative features and holding live panel discussions with Sowjanya’s parents and other activists, the cable transmission mysteriously failed and there was unannounced load shedding in and around Dharmasthala for greater part of the day. The channel claims that this was orchestrated deliberately and it showed that the impact of the coverage had made a dent with the powers-that-be trying to willy-nilly stop the damage. With this, other channels and newspapers could not be silent. The activism snowballed into a well organised campaign. Various organisations took out processions in Dharmasthala, Mangalore and other places, some supporting the Dharmasthala establishment, but most demanding justice for Sowjanya.

Those actively involved in protests such as the Seer of Kemar Math, Sri Esha Vittaladas Swamiji and social activist and leader of Belthangady Prajaprabhutva Vedike, Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, have reasons to believe that the management of Dharmasthala temple and the close relatives of D. Veerendra Heggade, the religious head of Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Temple, have links to the case. According to Mr Mahesh Shetty, in the last decade or so over 400 unnatural death cases have been reported in and around Dharmasthala, the veracity of which has been ascertained through an RTI application. He alleges that most of these deaths occurred owing to land maphia of several people associated with the temple management. He also alleges that the temple administration has occupied large swathes of land in the area and it is near impossible to own a piece of land without the consent of the temple management. Mr Shetty, whose organisation has been involved closely with such issues, holds that the temple management in general and Veerendra Heggade in particular are very powerful not just in the area but nationally as well, and no one dares question them. Mr Heggade’s brother D. Harshendra Heggade, according to Mr Shetty, looks into property matters and has illegal land dealings. Incidentally, his son Nishchal Jain has been accused in the rape and murder of Sowjanya. What is indeed shocking is the fact that the police have refused to even question the four suspected – Nischal Jain, Dheeraj Kella, Mallik Jain and Uday Jain – mentioned in the FIR filed by the family members of Sowjanya. The family members and activists allege that all evidences related to the case have been destroyed systematically. For example, a TV 9 visual showed that there was a piece of paper with some phone numbers on it found near the body. However, there is no mention of it in the charge sheet filed by the police to the court. The charge sheet also has several contradictions as to the arrest of Santhosh Kumar. Experts in the panel discussion on TV 9 further suggested that the post mortem report of the victim is a farce, as it does not mention anything important that could lead to further investigation. According to them, all this has been done deliberately by the powers-that-be in collusion with the police to subvert the investigation.

Palpable caution by media

Even as TV 9 has been vociferously going after the case, one cannot miss the palpable caution and restrain by media in general in the region. No newspaper or TV channel, barring TV 9, seems to take a chance. Hence, the newspapers are only giving some space to report protests and press conferences and are refusing to go beyond. Care is taken to see that the opposite view (read, the temple administration!) is given due space whenever activists and protest groups point fingers. While there have been many such reports appearing, there has never been a single editorial or op-ed article written analysing the issue in prominent newspapers in the region, including the widely circulated Kannada daily, Udayavani. The reasons are there for anyone to see: D. Veerendra Heggade and the Dharmasthala administration have never had a history of being put under the scanner. It seems that they are too big an institution to even be questioned, let alone probed! Though Sowjanya studied in a college run by the temple administration, no concerted efforts were made by the administration to press for deeper investigation. Mr Heggade, in fact, never visited the victim’s family. But, now when fingers are directly pointed at him, he is mobilising large scale sympathy for himself and the temple administration, stating that ‘those against us are trying to malign the name of Dharmasthala’.

As regards media’s role in the entire campaign, the developments have clearly shown that the on-going media campaign is bearing fruits, though unintended. Channels like TV 9 have a history of making hay while the sun shines. In Sowjanya’s case, though, the channel has to be commended for at least daring to probe against all odds. Its extensive reportage, coupled with the subsequent public protests, has made the ‘establishment’ jittery and run for cover. One only hopes this ‘activism’ will continue until the truth is uncovered and justice is done.