Karnataka govt grants police powers to SIT probing Dharmasthala 'mass burial' case

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said the SIT probing the "mass burial" case in Dharmasthala has been granted police station powers. This allows anyone with complaints related to the case to approach the SIT directly for registration.

The Special Investigation Team, constituted by the state government, is investigating allegations of mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.

A complainant-witness, a former sanitation worker whose identity remains undisclosed, claimed he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014 and was forced to bury multiple bodies, including those of women and minors.

He alleged that some of the bodies showed signs of sexual assault and had given a statement before a magistrate.

Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said, “We have given them (the SIT) police station powers. Instead of going to the police station to register complaints, people can now directly approach the SIT.” The minister refrained from commenting further on the case until the SIT completes its investigation.

“We will know the facts once the SIT probe is complete. The complainant initially identified 13 locations, which have now increased to between 16 and 19. We await the SIT’s final findings,” he said.

As part of the investigation, the SIT has been conducting searches at multiple locations pointed out by the complainant in forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi river in Dharmasthala. Skeletal remains have been found at two of these sites thus far.