India, Aug. 23 -- A woman whose account of a daughter who went missing in 2003 fuelled the growing controversy in Dharmasthala over allegations of mass burials, sexual assault, and disappearances of women said on Friday that her story was fabricated.

Speaking to a YouTube channel, the woman, identified as Sujatha Bhat, said that she was persuaded by Girish Mattannavar and T Jayanti, two prominent activists in the case, to claim that her daughter Ananya had disappeared in Dharmasthala in 2003. "It is not true. There was never any daughter named Ananya Bhat," Sujatha said.

She conceded that the photograph circulated as evidence of Ananya's existence was also fabricated. "It was all fake. Completely fake."

"Some people told me to say it. ...