Dharmasthala mass burials: Teenage girl murdered 15 years ago & buried without post-mortem, claims villager

Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) found no human remains during exhuming work at the ninth and 10th spots identified by the complainant witness in the forest area under Dharmasthala police station limits on Saturday.

In a fresh development, a man from Ichlampady village in Dakshina Kannada district appeared before SIT officers and submitted a complaint related to a murder that allegedly took place around 15 years ago in Dharmasthala village.

The man, Jayant T told reporters, “Around 15 years ago, a girl aged between 13 and 15 died under suspicious circumstances in Dharmasthala village. I saw the body which was in a partially decomposed state. No post-mortem was conducted. A week after I filed a complaint, the body was buried. It was not disposed of through legal means and no FIR was registered. The murder was covered up,” he alleged.

“I do not know who committed the murder, but I will show the location where the body was buried to the SIT,” Jayant said.

He said many murders had taken place in Dharmasthala village and that several local residents were aware of the same.

“But due to an atmosphere of fear, no one dared to file complaints. The SIT formed has helped lift that fear. I now have confidence in the SIT, which is why I submitted my complaint. As Sunday is a holiday, SIT officials asked me to visit them on Monday,” he said.

Jayant urged the SIT to thoroughly investigate the case of Padmalatha, a girl from his family, claiming that there was a witness in that case as well.

According to SIT sources, no human remains were found at the two locations searched on Saturday. The digging was carried out using A mini earth mover at the ninth and 10th sites marked by the complainant witness.

Both sites are located approximately 10 meters from the state highway connecting Ujire and Dharmasthala, near the bathing ghat in Dharmasthala. To maintain confidentiality of the operation, a green shade net was erected along the road.

Digging progressed slowly due to heavy rains and large tree roots in the area. The search was conducted in the presence of Puttur assistant commissioner Stella Varghese, SIT SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama, the complainant witness and his legal representatives.

‘SIT officer threatened witness’

An advocate representing a complainant witness has alleged that a police officer from the SIT attempted to coerce her client into withdrawing complaint.

Jayant T who submitted a complaint to the SIT on a murder that allegedly took place around 15 years ago in Dharmasthala. 

In an email to the SIT office, advocate Ananya Gowda claimed that the  complainant witness was threatened by the officer at SIT’s Belthangady camp office on August 1. The officer allegedly warned the witness of severe consequences, including prolonged imprisonment. Calling for the immediate removal of the said officer from the investigation, Gowda said such a step was necessary to ensure that the complainant witness could speak freely and without fear. SIT sources said the complaint would be examined.