Dharmasthala mass burial case: No skeletal remains found at two more suspected sites

A second individual also appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Belthangady on Saturday to provide further testimony in the Dharmasthala alleged mass burial case, police said

No skeletal remains were recovered during the exhumation on Saturday at the ninth and tenth sites identified by the anonymous complainant-witness in connection with the alleged mass burial case in Dharmasthala, police said.

The latest round of digging—conducted in the presence of the complainant—follows earlier exhumations at eight of the 15 sites marked along the Netravathi riverbank in a forested stretch beside the Ujire‑Dharmasthala–Kokkada highway.

According to PTI, so far, skeletal remains have been recovered only from site No 6 on Thursday, where 15 bone fragments—no skull—were found.

On-site forensic experts have given a preliminary assessment indicating the remains were male. Subsequent excavations at sites 7 and 8 yielded no human remains, Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials said.

A second individual also appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Belthangady on Saturday to provide further testimony in the Dharmasthala alleged mass burial case, police said, according to PTI.

After giving a complaint to the SIT officials, Jayanth T told the media that he has firsthand knowledge of multiple "unlawful burials" that were carried out in the village of Dharmasthala.

He claimed that he personally observed these burial activities at various locations, and his statements could help uncover additional grave sites.

Security has been heightened in the forested zones, particularly around site No 6, following the discovery. Armed police personnel and teams from the forest, revenue, and forensic departments are participating in the multi-agency operation.

Mobile phone usage remains restricted at the excavation sites and is permitted only for senior officers, police added.

Meanwhile, the SIT probing the case is set to interrogate a police officer accused of threatening the complainant-witness. The officer, Manjunath Gowda, was part of the initial investigation before the case was handed over to the SIT.

According to police, the complainant has alleged that Gowda attempted to coerce him into retracting his statement and tried to paint him as "mentally unstable." An advocate representing the complainant, Manjunath, has also lodged a complaint against the officer.

The SIT team has been assisted by daily wage workers, machinery operators, and mechanical grass-cutting tools during the exhumation. A mechanical excavator was deployed for deeper digging at some sites.

The skeletal remains recovered from site No 6 have been sent for forensic analysis. No other major recoveries have been reported from the remaining sites. However, during Tuesday's digging, a PAN card bearing a man's name and a debit card with a woman’s name were recovered.

Investigations later revealed that the debit card belonged to a woman named Sidalakshamma, a resident of Nelamangala near Bengaluru, and the PAN card belonged to her son Suresh, who had died of health complications related to alcohol addiction.

According to police, Suresh had lost the cards during a visit to Dharmasthala around five years ago, and officials suspect they were washed ashore along the Netravathi riverbank.

The SIT continues its probe under tight secrecy, with operations set to proceed based on emerging evidence.

The state government constituted the SIT after explosive allegations surfaced about mass murder, rape, and illegal burials in Dharmasthala over the last two decades.

The complainant—a former sanitation worker whose identity remains undisclosed—has claimed he was employed in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014. He alleged he was forced to bury several bodies, including those of women and minors, some showing signs of sexual assault.

He has recorded a statement before a magistrate in connection with the claims.

With inputs from PTI