Dharmasthala case | Search continues at 13th site, SIT team yet to find skeletal remains

Mangaluru: The SIT team which continued the exhuming process at the 13th site identified by the complainant-witness as part of the probe into the Dharmasthala mass burial case, on Wednesday, failed to trace any skeletal remains.

Meanwhile, two individuals have made statements to the media stating that they have complained to the SIT, that they have seen the burial of dead bodies near the Netravati bathing ghat in Dharmasthala village.

According to SIT sources, even after excavating up to 16 feet deep at the 13th location, no traces of the skeletal remains were found.

The SIT team used the earth mover to dig the area. As there were three electricity poles in the location and a vented dam just a few metres away from the site, the SIT had used ground penetrating radar (GPR) on Tuesday and had carried out the exhumation process in only one portion of the site identified by the complainant witness.

The search operation had been halted due to darkness. Another portion of the site is being dug on Wednesday. Despite the rain, a large earthmover and a smaller machine are engaged in excavation work. An area measuring 32 feet in length and 28 feet in width was excavated . The digging operation continued until 6:30 pm.

The complainant-witness was present at the spot, indicating where digging should be carried out. Puttur AC Stella Varghese, SIT SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama, and forensic experts were also present at the site.

Witness visits SIT

Two witnesses claiming that they saw the burial of bodies in Dharmasthala village visited the SIT office in Belthangady on Wednesday.

Purandara Gowda, and Tukaram Gowda, residents of Dharmasthala village visited the office to furnish details on the burial of bodies that they had seen in Dharmasthala village to the SIT.

Speaking to mediapersons, Purandara Gowda, who is also Sowjanya's uncle said that he had a shop in Dharmasthala between 2003-2017. “From the shop, I have seen the burial of bodies by workers. I have seen a person similar to a complainant witness, burying the body at the sites. I feel the man whom I have seen and the complainant witness are the same. I have seen the burial of bodies in the first spot identified by the complainant witness. Sometimes, two to three people would get the body in a car for burial. I have not seen police and the doctor at the spot while burying the body,” he told mediapersons.

"The 13th spot identified by the complainant witness was behind my shop. There was a toilet nearby. I am surprised why no human remains were traced during the exhumation process at the site number 1 and 13. The first site area has been developed over a period of time. We could not discuss the burial of bodies then with others fearing for life. The SIT constituted by the state government has given us some strength to speak", he added.

“I had come to meet the SIT team on August 6. SIT Chief Pronab Mohanty had asked us to visit Dharmasthala station to file a complaint. I had asked SIT to give an acknowledgement for the complaint. I went to Dharmasthala station on August 8 to file a complaint," he said.

Tukaram said that he had seen the burial of bodies in the village and said he would reveal complete details before the SIT.