The Karnataka High Court has frozen the explosive Dharmasthala mass burial probe. Justice Mohammad Nawaz issued an interim stay on October 30, 2025. The order blocks the Special Investigation Team (SIT) from any further action until November 12. Four social activists—Girish Mattennavar, Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, Jayanth T, and Vittala Gowda—won this reprieve. They had demanded the FIR be quashed entirely. The case began with their own complaints but has now turned against them.

It all started in July 2025 when former temple sanitation worker C N Chinnaiah made chilling claims. The 48-year-old Dalit said he buried over 100 bodies near Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014. He alleged victims were mostly women and minors, showing signs of rape and torture. Chinnaiah said he was forced at gunpoint by temple insiders. The activists sheltered him, amplified his story, and pressured the government. Their campaign forced an FIR on July 3 at Belthangady station. The state formed a 20-member SIT led by IG M A Saleesh. Teams dug 20 sites and reviewed missing persons cases from multiple states.

The twist came in August when Chinnaiah retracted everything before a magistrate. He confessed the story was fabricated under the activists’ guidance. The SIT flipped the script overnight. On August 23, they added new charges for false evidence. The activists went from witnesses to suspects. Fresh summons arrived via WhatsApp and email on October 24. Notices threatened arrest for non-cooperation. Petitioners claimed 15-hour interrogations and harassment. Their lawyers called the process illegal and abusive.

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In court, SIT prosecutor B N Jagadeesha defended the probe fiercely. He said the activists demanded the FIR, then ran when evidence pointed back. Magistrate approval existed for every notice, he argued. The judge first barred harassment but later stayed the entire investigation. A separate plea by YouTuber Abhishek M was also admitted. Another complainant’s lawyer had secured a similar stay in September. The courtroom drama exposed deep cracks in trust and procedure.

Dharmasthala now reels from conflicting narratives and public outrage. BJP leaders call it a conspiracy to defame the temple. Dalit groups fear real victims are being silenced again. Devotees hold prayer vigils while environmentalists decry disturbed forest land. With the next hearing looming, the case could either expose a massive hoax or unearth buried truths. One thing is clear: the grave accusations have buried reputations on all sides.

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