Bills for excavator used during Dharmasthala burial case probe, wages of labourers still unpaid

During July and August 2025, searches for human remains were carried out in several areas, including forest regions of Dharmasthala village, as part of probe by Special Investigation Team.

Mangaluru: Bills for the excavator used for exhuming work and wages for labourers involved in digging during the investigation into the alleged mass burial of case in Dharmasthala village are yet to be cleared.

The State government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case. During July and August 2025, exhumation and searches for human remains were carried out in several areas, including forest regions of Dharmasthala village. At the request of the SIT, the Dharmasthala Gram Panchayat arranged labourers, earthmover machines, and other materials for clearing vegetation in the forests and digging for exhumation.

Sources said, “A total of Rs 1.06 lakh is pending as wages for workers who dug the pits, Rs 71,500 is pending for earthmover excavation work, and Rs 24,000 remains unpaid for materials supplied. The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has instructed the Dharmasthala Gram Panchayat that these payments cannot be made from the panchayat’s funds. The panchayat has forwarded the bills to the SIT.”

SIT chief Pronab Mohanty said, “We were not aware that payments for the excavation work carried out using machines and for labourers engaged in the SIT investigation are pending. This amount certainly has to be paid. We will discuss the matter with the government and take steps to ensure payment.”