Dharmasthala burials probe stalled as police say whistleblower may abscond: Report

The development comes even as the whistleblower’s lawyers accused the police of delaying the mahazar.

The investigation into the alleged secret burials of multiple women in Dharmasthala has hit a fresh roadblock, with Dakshina Kannada police claiming they have “confidential information” that the primary whistleblower could abscond once the exhumation process begins, Indian Express reported.

The whistleblower alleges that between 1998 and 2014, he was coerced into burying bodies of women. (HT_PRINT)

According to the report, the development comes even as the whistleblower’s lawyers accused the police of delaying the mahazar (on-site inspection) and failing to act on credible leads that could expose a decades-old pattern of abuse and cover-ups in the temple town.

In an official statement issued Wednesday, District SP Arun K said, “There is confidential information that the complainant could abscond. Due to this, there are reports suggesting a hurry to exhume the bodies without following proper procedure.”

The police added that they had shared this intelligence with the legal representatives involved in the case. The statement also revealed that the investigation officer has submitted a request for brain mapping, fingerprint testing, and narco-analysis of the whistleblower, a former sanitation worker who came forward earlier this year with explosive claims.

The whistleblower alleges that between 1998 and 2014, he was coerced into burying bodies of women showing signs of sexual assault, all under pressure and intimidation from powerful individuals. Despite those threats, he recently recorded a detailed statement and even handed over human remains from one burial site, the report added.

The lawyers further alleged serious violations of legal protocol, accusing the investigation officer of attempting to break attorney-client confidentiality by pressing for details on whether the whistleblower had authorised them to release redacted documents to the media.

The whistleblower reportedly believed that police would immediately begin the mahazar and documentation the morning after his sworn statement was recorded on July 11. But as of July 16, no such action has been taken.