Bengaluru: The investigation into the sensational Dharmasthali case has taken a significant turn, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) recovering suspected human remains from 11 sites during ongoing excavations. Acting on a complaint by a former sanitation worker, the SIT unearthed skeletal remains believed to be that of a male buried around 18 months to two years ago. Officials reported finding a shirt and a rope around the neck of the body, suggesting possible hanging. The remains have been sent to a forensic laboratory for confirmation, and authorities have pledged a comprehensive probe into the findings.
The SIT launched the excavations following testimony from Bhima, a former sanitation worker who alleged in court that between 1995 and 2014, he was forced to bury over 100 bodies. The victims reportedly included women, young girls, and children, with claims that some were sexually assaulted before being murdered. In response, the Karnataka government constituted a special team led by four IPS officers. Excavations have been completed at 11 locations, with more sites under investigation. However, progress has been hampered by heavy rains and soil erosion, prompting legal representatives to call for the deployment of Ground Penetrating Radar technology.
Separately, RTI activist and eyewitness Jayanth testified to the SIT that 15 years ago he witnessed the burial of a teenage girl aged between 13 and 15. Despite alerting the police at the time, he claimed no post-mortem was conducted, and no FIR was filed. Jayanth also alleged multiple illegal burials took place, adding that local residents remain silent due to fear. RTI inquiries further revealed that records of unnatural deaths reported between 2000 and 2015 in Dharmasthala, Belthangady, and Ujire police stations have disappeared, raising serious concerns of a cover-up.