SDM students allege pressure to ‘stage public support for Dharmasthala family’ amid SIT Probe

Hassan 

Serious allegations have surfaced online against the management of SDM College of Ayurveda and Hospital, Hassan — an institution run by the Dharmasthala-based Heggade family, currently under the scanner in a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into a mass burial case.

An anonymous post, made on Reddit about 14 hours ago, claims that college authorities have instructed students to take part in a demonstration outside the Hassan Deputy Commissioner’s office, aimed at showing public backing for the Heggade family. The post alleges that the participants were told to arrive in plain clothes without uniforms or ID cards, and to use their own vehicles, so that they would appear to be ordinary citizens rather than students.

The whistleblower claims that dissenting students were threatened with disciplinary action. Attendance was allegedly scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, with the warning that hostel rooms of absentees would be locked. “If we want to study in this institution we have to participate, otherwise consequences need to be paid,” the post alleged.

The post expresses fear that direct approaches to the press could result in reprisals, calling the management “very powerful” and urging “unbiased journalists” and authorities to intervene before the planned demonstration takes place.

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