The Special Investigation Team (SIT) resumed its probe into the chilling Dharmasthala mass burial case on Monday, excavating alleged burial sites in Dharmasthala village, Dakshina Kannada district, following a whistleblower’s claims of coerced burials of rape and murder victims. The exhumation process, which paused on Sunday due to the unavailability of revenue and other department officials, targeted spots 11 and 12 on the sixth day of digging, as identified by the complainant, a former sanitation worker.

The whistleblower, whose identity is protected under the Witness Protection Scheme, alleges he was forced to bury over 100 bodies, many showing signs of sexual violence, between 1995 and 2014. A case was registered on July 4 at Dharmasthala police station under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, prompting the Karnataka government to form the SIT on July 19, led by DGP Pronab Mohanty.

Of the 13 sites identified by the complainant, only one—spot 6—has yielded partial human remains, including a few bones, broken skull fragments, and two teeth, discovered on July 31. These remains, suspected to belong to a male, have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Manipal for DNA analysis. Excavations at spots 9 and 10 on Saturday, despite reaching depths of 8 feet with excavators, found no evidence. The SIT is now considering ground-penetrating radar to aid the search, given challenges posed by the area’s wet soil near the Nethravathi River.

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The case has sparked outrage, reviving memories of unresolved cases like the 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya. Activists and locals demand transparency, citing a history of alleged cover-ups. The SIT, supported by 20 personnel from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada, is meticulously documenting the process with video evidence to ensure integrity.

As the investigation intensifies, the nation awaits answers to the disturbing allegations shaking this temple town.

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