The Dharmasthala mass burial case took a fresh turn on Thursday as the key whistleblower claimed he had buried up to 80 people at one of the sites. The area in question remains under investigation — with additional personnel, excavation workers, and heavy machinery continuing to work on the identified locations. Human remains have been found at three sites so far but there has been no direct match with the whistleblower claims.
What is the case?
The SIT was formed by the Karnataka government last month after a former sanitation worker levelled allegations of mass murder, rape, and illegal burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades. The complainant said he was employed in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014. He alleged that he was forced to bury several bodies — including women and minors — some of whom bore signs of sexual assault. He has since recorded a statement before a magistrate in connection with these claims.
‘Buried 70-80 bodies myself at site number 13’
The whistleblower told India Today that he had buried around 80 bodies at ‘Site 13’ close to the Netravati river. He alleged that the instructions had come directly from the temple management — bypassing all local authorities — and calling for the bodies to be buried in forest areas or old roads. The former saniation worker said his team had buried around 100 bodies (including 90 women) with many bearing clear signs of sexual assault.
“We buried the bodies deep down. Other bodies were buried in the hills…Wherever they showed us, we dug there,” he claimed.
The whistleblower opined that some of the burial sites may have been lost due to erosion, forest growth, and construction work. He also claimed that locals had spotted the workers burying bodies during the daytime but did not stop or question them.
Search continues at Point 13
Authorities have continued to search Site 13 this week — despite heavy rainfall — with forensic officials on site to examine any findings. The SIT has has reportedly dug up to 18 feet deep in this area and used ground-penetrating radar to survey for bodies. No human skeletal remains or bones were found at Site 13 despite extensive digging and the use of machinery and drainage pumps.
The probe team has also examined several other locations based on leads from witnesses and complainants. It found partial skeletal remains at Sites 6, 11, and 14 — with DNA and forensic testing now underway to determine identity and causes of death.