Tue Mar 18 17:52:35 UTC 2025: ## Activists Plan “Dharmasthala Chalo” March for Justice in 2012 Rape-Murder Case
**Bengaluru, March 19, 2025** – Activists in Karnataka are planning a mass march to Dharmasthala to demand justice for Sowjanya, a 17-year-old who was raped and murdered in 2012. The march, dubbed “Dharmasthala Chalo,” follows a meeting on Tuesday where activists resolved to pressure authorities for a resolution to the decade-old cold case.
Despite investigations by both the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the culprits remain at large. The meeting itself faced significant hurdles. Bengaluru police initially attempted to ban the gathering, but the Karnataka High Court intervened, preventing the prohibition. Earlier attempts to host the meeting were thwarted when the Kannada Sahitya Parishat canceled a booking due to a legal notice.
The activists ultimately held the meeting at the AITUC Hall after navigating further police attempts to halt the event. An organizer stated that the march will involve participants from various districts and that they will also pursue legal avenues to secure justice for Sowjanya. The activists condemned what they described as heavy-handed tactics by the police in preventing their meeting.
First Piper 