Dharmasthala 'mass burial' case: SIT may use radar to locate remains as 8th day yields no result

Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala mass burial case did not find any skeletal remains during a search operation carried out on Wednesday inside the forest area near the Nethravathi bathing ghat, adjacent to the state highway and within the Dharmasthala police station limits.

As human remains were found only in two sites identified by the complainant witness, there are now suggestions to use Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to detect potential remains before manually digging.

Sources in the SIT confirmed that there are plans to use GPR at the sites shown by the complainant-witness to verify the presence of human remains before proceeding with further exhumations. However, a final decision is yet to be made.

The SIT has completed the exhumation process at all the sites, except the 13th site identified by the complainant-witness.

Apart from the locations initially indicated by the complainant-witness, the SIT also conducted searches at two new sites.

Skeletal remains of a man were discovered at the sixth location. At another unidentified site deep within the forest, the complainant-witness had led investigators to a spot where over 100 bones—including a skull and parts of a spinal column—were recovered on Monday. However, no human remains were found in other sites.

On Wednesday, searches were expected to be carried out at the 13th location—near the Nethravathi bathing ghat. Preparations for excavation had already been made. The location, which has three electricity poles, is situated close to a dam. SIT DIG MN Anucheth visited the site for inspection on Wednesday morning. However, instead of commencing digging there, the SIT shifted focus to another forest location newly identified by the complainant witness.

The operation was led by SIT SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama, Puttur AC Stella Varghese, forensic science experts, the complainant witness and his legal representative, along with security personnel and around 20 labourers.

“Searches at the remaining locations yet to be identified by the complainant witness will be taken up only after the investigation of the already exhumed sites and recovered remains is completed,” said SIT sources.

The complainant-witness had earlier claimed that several bodies were buried on the opposite bank of the Nethravathi River and in the forest area near Kalleri in Dharmasthala village.

Another witness

In a new development, Tukaram Gowda, a resident of Pangala Kulangaje in Dharmasthala village, submitted a request to the SIT on Wednesday, stating that he is aware of burial sites and is willing to assist in locating the remains. The SIT has advised him to share the information with the Dharmasthala police station.

UDR Case

The Dharmasthala police registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) case on August 5, following the discovery of skeletal remains on the surface near the 11th site identified by the complainant witness, said Dakshina Kannada SP Dr Arun K.

The SIT had recovered the skeletal remains on August 4. Two UDR cases—one related to the remains and another based on a complaint by Jayant T—have now been transferred to the SIT with the approval of the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP), the SP said.

SIT chief reviews progress

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 MN Anucheth and SPs Jitendra Kumar Dayama and CA Simon, before the day’s search operation commenced.

SIT seeks information

The SIT team is also gathering information from Dharmasthala gram panchayat in connection with the ongoing investigation.

Sources in Panchayat told DH, "the SIT team had visited the Dharmasthala Panchayat office on Tuesday evening and is said to have collected additional information including that of staff who had served in the panchayat in the past, from the PDO. Earlier, SIT had sought details related to the burial of unclaimed bodies. According to the records, around 270 unclaimed bodies were buried in about three decades.”