Dharmasthala mass burial allegations: SIT steps-up probe, forensic surveys likely soon

The Karnataka government's SIT is intensifying its investigation into mass burials and suspicious deaths in Dharmasthala.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Karnataka government has intensified its probe into the explosive allegations of mass burials, sexual assault, and suspicious deaths in Dharmasthala, with top officers joining ground-level inquiries over the weekend.

Special Investigation Team has further intensified the probe into Dharmasthala mass burial allegations. (Pic for representation)

DGP joins SIT

On Sunday, SIT chief Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police (Internal Security Division), visited the temple town to review the progress of the investigation and personally oversee on-ground inspections. He was accompanied by other team members for consultations and site visits.

One of the central figures in the case, a former sanitation worker who earlier confessed to burying numerous bodies during his tenure in Dharmasthala, appeared before the SIT for the second consecutive day. His statements are being cross-verified with local records and testimony.

The SIT, comprising DIG (Recruitment) M N Anucheth and IPS officers Soumyalatha S K and Jitendra Kumar Dayama, also held meetings with local authorities and pored over records of missing persons. Officials said the team revisited earlier cases flagged as suspicious deaths in and around Dharmasthala and also interacted with residents in nearby areas to gather leads.

In addition to the senior officers, 20 police personnel, including inspectors, sub-inspectors, head constables, and constables, have been deployed from Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Uttara Kannada districts to support the probe.

The SIT was formed after serious allegations surfaced, claiming that over the past two decades, there had been instances of rape, murder, and secret burials in Dharmasthala. The claims were brought forward by the unnamed former sanitation worker, who said he was employed in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014 and was allegedly coerced into burying bodies, some of which bore signs of sexual assault. He has recorded his statement before a magistrate.

Police sources said the next steps in the probe will likely include technical and forensic surveys at suspected sites, along with further field visits to corroborate the claims.

(With PTI inputs)