Dharmasthala case: Partial skeletal remains found at 6th site, first with evidence
IN a significant breakthrough in the ongoing mass burial investigation in Karnataka’s Dharmasthala, partial skeletal remains have been found at site number 6 during the exhumation process, marking the first site to yield such evidence in the case currently under investigation.
According to police sources, the skeletal remains are most likely of a male.
The remains were discovered as part of the SIT probe into allegations made by a former sanitation worker, who has alleged that he was forced to bury and cremate bodies of women and minors, many showing signs of sexual assault, between 1998 and 2014 in the temple town.
The forensic team present at the site has secured the remains for further examination. A dog squad has been brought to the area to assist in locating further evidence, with digging operations expanded as the bones may have scattered due to time and environmental conditions.
The whistleblower had claimed that two bodies were buried at this specific location, and investigators are now working with that assumption. Sources said the skeletal remains are in a highly decayed state, and additional material — rope, clothing, a printer, and a laptop — have been brought in as part of evidence-gathering efforts.
On Wednesday, the five sites identified in the case had yielded no evidence of human remains, police sources confirmed.
The first of these sites, located along the Nethravathi River, was excavated on Tuesday in the presence of the whistleblower. Although officials, forensic experts, and revenue department staff used a JCB machine to dig deeper after encountering water seepage, the site did not produce any remains.
This comes after the whistleblower in the case identified 15 suspected locations linked to mass burials and cremations.
According to sources, eight of the sites are along the banks of the Nethravathi River, while locations 9 to 12 are beside the highway near the river. The 13th site is on the road connecting Nethravathi to Aajukuri, and the remaining two are in the Kanyadi area near the highway.
The partial skeletal remains found at site number 6 are expected to play a crucial role in corroborating or disproving the claims made by the whistleblower.
