Dharmasthala case | Complainant witness taken to alleged spot where bodies were buried

Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala mass burial case was on Monday taken by the complainant-witness to sites near the Netravathi bathing ghat, where the bodies are reportedly buried.  

The witness, who is also the complainant in the case, was escorted to the location under tight police security. With his face covered, he led SIT officials, including Jithendra Kumar Dayama, Simon C, 2 kilometers into the forest area along the banks of the Netravathi River.

The witness identified 13 spots in the area where bodies are believed to have been buried. SIT officials geo-tagged each spot using GPS and marked it with barrier tape. Each spot was also assigned an identification number and a drone was used to record video footage of each location. 

Officers from the forest, revenue, and survey departments were also brought in to assist with the investigation.

All 13 locations identified by the witness lie within a one-kilometer radius of the Dharmasthala police station. Eight sites are along the Netravathi River, four are beside the road connecting the Netravathi bridge to the bathing ghat, and one is in an open area near a small dam adjacent to the ghat.

Sources privy to the case told DH: "The man appears to be genuine in what he is saying, but is stricken by conscience. He says he finds it difficult to eat, sleep and even lead a normal life and indulge in normal activities. Looks like the past has come back to haunt him." 

Around 10 am, the witness, accompanied by his legal team, appeared at the SIT office in Belthangady. By approximately 11:50 am, SIT officials escorted him to the site near the bathing ghat. The SIT team had planned to identify about 15 spots on the first day.

By 2 pm, the witness had pointed out eight sites along the riverbank. Later he had lunch at the Dharmasthala police station, following which the team resumed its work in the forest.

Post lunch, the witness identified four more spots beside the road in the forest area. He later pointed out one last site near the small dam. The team had intended to identify additional sites across the Netravathi River. However, as they attempted to cross the bridge near Kanyadi, heavy rain lashed the area. With darkness falling after 6 pm, the search was halted for the day.

A police officer noted that some sites may contain more than one body. The exact number will only be confirmed after exhumation. The operation to identify more suspected burial sites is expected to continue on Tuesday.

According to official sources, the inspection is part of the process required to obtain legal permission for exhumation.

The SIT team had recorded the complainant witness’s statements over the past two days (July 26 and 27) at the PWD Inspection Bungalow in Mallikatte, Mangaluru.

Panchayat's claims exposed: Advocate

Manjunath N, an advocate, in a statement said that the development in the Dharmasthala mass burial case has exposed the hollow claims of gram panchayat Vice President Shrinivas Rao, who maintained that all burials were conducted through official channels with proper documentation.