SIT began search in the sixth site out of the alleged 13
Found bones but not skull in the site
Complaint was filed by a former sanitation worker
The Special Investigative Task (SIT) force had begun its search for the sixth site out of the 13 sites identified by the sanitation worker for alleged mass-burial of bodies on Thursday.
At the sixth site, near the Netravathi river in Karnataka, upon searching, the officials discovered fifteen bones, with some of them broken, but no skull was reported.
The forensic doctor at the spot has prima facie opined that the bones were of a male. Final opinion would be given only after a forensic examination, the SIT officials said The Hindu.
Forensic doctors and the scene-of-crime officers seized the body parts after noting down the details, including the location and the way the parts were found. Stella Verghese, Assistant Commissioner, Puttur sub-division, was present at the spot, reported The Hindu.
The complainant is a former sanitation worker who had given a statement to the SIT about the burial of over 100 bodies between 1995 and 2014. On July 28, the SIT took the complainant to the bathing ghat in Dharmasthala, where he listed 13 alleged burial sites.
The process of digging up the sites started on July 29.
A total of five sites were dug up till July 30; however, no human remains were found. The digging at the sixth site, which is in the forest area and close to the Netravathi river, commenced on the morning of July 31.
While digging at the first site, the SIT found a woman’s debit card and a man’s PAN card, and has since tracked down the family of the man.
The man, Suresh, hailing from Nelamangala taluk in Bengaluru Rural district, died of jaundice in March 2025 at his native village, and his last rites were conducted there, too. The SIT visited his house, and the father of the deceased confirmed the same. They suspect that he may have lost his PAN card when he visited Dharmasthala before his death.
Regarding the Rupay debit card that was in the name of a woman, an SIT officer said, “The bank is yet to provide us with her details and cross-verification of her whereabouts is still underway.”
Allegations of mass burials at Dharmasthala first came to light towards the end of June, when advocates representing the man, who has remained anonymous for his safety, held a press conference detailing the man’s claims.
The man filed a complaint with the Dharmasthala police station through his lawyers on July 3, and the police registered an FIR the next day. The Belthangady court recorded his statement under Section 183 of the BNSS on July 11, after which he agreed to lead investigators to the alleged burial sites. The SIT is now tasked with confirming the identities of the recovered remains and determining whether more bodies are buried at the other marked locations.
