Why were Dharmasthala UDR bodies taken to K. S. Hegde Hospital? The case demands an impartial probe

 

A disturbing question hangs over Dharmasthala: why are bodies from Unnatural Death Report (UDR) cases being sent to K. S. Hegde Medical College Hospital in Deralakatte, a private institution nearly 65 kilometres away, instead of to government facilities closer to the scene? Beltangady has a government hospital equipped for post-mortems, and the Wenlock District Hospital in Mangaluru is a full-fledged government centre with modern forensic infrastructure. Yet, for reasons neither the police nor the Dharmasthana temple administration have clarified, a private college hospital has become the preferred destination.

This practice defies logic and raises serious procedural concerns. Under standard criminal and medico-legal protocols, UDR post-mortems must be conducted in government hospitals to ensure transparency and legal credibility. Any deviation must be backed by a formal explanation — which, in this case, appears conspicuously absent.

The public suspicion is, therefore, understandable. Social media discussions and you-tuber reports have voiced unease about whether there exists an undisclosed arrangement between the Dharmasthala police and the private hospital. Some have even gone so far as to allege possible organ harvesting from unclaimed bodies — a claim unverified, but serious enough to warrant investigation. In any democratic society, such allegations cannot be brushed aside merely as rumour. They arise when trust collapses.

Dharmasthala’s record of frequent UDR cases only deepens the unease. The lack of public information about how these deaths are classified, investigated, and medically handled fuels doubts of systematic concealment. When powerful institutions or local networks appear to influence official procedure, questions about motive and benefit inevitably follow.

The Karnataka government must address this issue urgently and transparently. A clear and independent inquiry — preferably by the Special Investigation Team already examining UDR deaths in Dharmasthala — should trace every body transferred, every post-mortem authorised, and every report filed. The police, the hospital, and any intermediaries must be held accountable for their roles.

If nothing is amiss, the facts will clear the air. But if there is collusion or profiteering hidden behind medical procedure, it will be one of the gravest betrayals of public trust. Either way, silence is not an option. Only an impartial, transparent probe can bring closure and restore credibility to both the system and the sanctity of the dead.

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