According to SIT sources, the complainant witness has pointed to yet another location within the forest, and search will be conducted there.
Credit: DH photo
Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Dharmasthala mass burial case have resumed search operation for the eighth day in the jurisdiction of Dharmasthala police station on Wednesday, inside the forest area near the Nethravathi bathing ghat adjacent to the state highway.
The SIT had completed the exhuming process in all the sites except the 13th site shown by the complainant witness.
The 13th site lies in an open area beside the Nethravathi bathing spot. Instead of carrying out searches in the 13th site, the team went inside the forest through the 12th site shown by the complainant witness.
According to SIT sources, the complainant witness has pointed to yet another location within the forest, and search will be conducted there.
SIT Chief holds meeting
Earlier in the day, SIT Chief and DGP (Internal Security Division) Pronab Mohanty visited the SIT office in Belthangady to review the progress of the case. A meeting was held with senior officers including DIG Anucheth, SPs Jitendra Kumar Dayama, CA Simon before the day's search operation commenced.
SIT SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama, Puttur AC Stella Varghese, forensic experts, complainant witness accompanied by his legal representatives , security personnel, and around 20 workers entered the forest area. Mini earth mover was also not taken to the site.
The SIT had recovered skeletal remains at the sixth site and over 100 bones including a skull and spinal column about 100 metres away from the 11th site inside the forest.