Dharmasthala mass burial case: SIT probe begins, DIG Anucheth to oversee investigation

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The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the case related to the alleged mass burial in Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district commenced its investigation on Saturday, officials said.

Senior officials arrived at the designated SIT office established at the Intelligence Bureau premises in Mallikatte, they said. The probing team visited certain spots in connection with the case, sources told news agency PTI.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, MN Anucheth, who is overseeing the probe, arrived in Mangaluru and is scheduled to chair a high-level meeting with more than 20 officers and personnel assigned to the SIT, a senior police officer said.

Superintendent of Police Jitendra Dayama, has been designated as the investigating officer in this case, he said.

According to sources, officers from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts have been deputed to the team. These include inspectors and sub-inspectors from Dharmasthala, Mulki, and Byndoor police stations.

The SIT is expected to initiate internal briefings and possibly question the anonymous complainant who had initially raised allegations about the burials. It is likely that the interrogation will be conducted within the SIT office in Mallikatte itself, under the supervision of DIG Anucheth.

All necessary arrangements, including video recording equipment, have been made for the documentation of interrogations and proceedings, police sources said.

The SIT officials are said to be fully prepared to take forward the investigation from both procedural and legal standpoints, they added.

The case pertains to allegations of mass burials near Dharmasthala, which surfaced through an anonymous complaint. Given the sensitive nature of the claims, the Karnataka government constituted a Special Investigation Team earlier this month. The SIT is expected to examine the authenticity of the complaint, identify persons involved, and ascertain if any legal violations were committed.