More skeletal remains found in Dharmasthala as fresh claims of illegal burials surface

The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged mass burial and sexual violence case in Karnataka’s sacred temple town of Dharmasthala has recovered more skeletal remains — this time from a newly identified site on the banks of the Netravati river. This marks the 11th location uncovered since the probe began late last month.

According to SIT sources, fragments of human skulls and bones were found at the site flagged by a protected whistleblower — a former sanitation worker who claims he was coerced into burying scores of bodies over two decades in and around Dharmasthala, nestled in the Western Ghats.

The case, which has sent shockwaves across the Dakshina Kannada region, gained momentum after the whistleblower came forward with allegations of murder, rape, and illegal burials allegedly carried out between 1995 and 2014 — many of them, he said, involving police complicity and being covered up in forested areas.

The SIT had earlier exhumed partial skulls and bone fragments at a separate riverside location on July 31 — the sixth such spot identified by the same informant. All remains are currently undergoing forensic analysis to determine age, gender, and cause of death.

Adding to the gravity of the case, a new complaint was filed Monday by Jayanth T, a social worker and local resident, who claimed to have witnessed police burying the body of a teenage girl in 2002-03 without following legal procedure.

Jayanth alleged the minor's body was found near State Highway 37, but instead of registering a case or conducting a post-mortem, police allegedly buried it secretly in the forest. “There are 3-4 witnesses who were present at the time,” he told reporters. “Even the auto driver who found the body and informed the police is traceable.”

With mounting pressure, the SIT has compiled unnatural death records from 1995 to 2014. However, officials say they have faced significant hurdles due to tampered or missing archives, particularly from the Belthangady police station.

SIT chief Pronab Mohanty’s early directive to secure and preserve evidence is being seen as a crucial move that ensured continuity in a probe of such sensitive scope.

Meanwhile, the SIT has set up a helpline and a public information desk at the Belthangady police station to assist with leads and ensure confidentiality. Exhumations and inquiries are continuing across locations, guided by daily findings and emerging testimonies.