Belthangady : D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala has demanded a CBI probe into the recent double murder as well as the rape and murder of a SDM College Student at Dharmasthala, in the backdrop of the doubts and suspicion persistent in public minds.

He urged the state government to hand over the case to CBI. He also said the attempts made to tarnish the image of the Kshetra by spreading false rumours were regrettable and urged the devotees not to pay need to rumours.

Heggade further said the parents of Sowjanya had called on him just after she went missing, when he advised them to lodge a police complaint.”When the body was found, I had called the Home Minister and SP to consider the case seriously and nab the culprits  as soon as possible,” he said adding during the visit of home minister, he had even requested for a full-fledged police station in the area.

He also appealed to the state government to punish the rumour mongers who, he said were spreading false rumours.