Investigation Uncovers Allegations of Grave Misconduct at Karnataka's Dharmasthala Temple
Search Operations at Dharmasthala Temple
In the renowned pilgrimage site of Dharmasthala, located in Karnataka's southern region, a search operation was initiated following alarming statements from a former worker, linking him to numerous allegations of murders and rapes. Despite 13 days of excavation efforts, no evidence has been uncovered so far. The former sanitation worker provided a statement to the police on July 3.
In his statement, he expressed, "I am filing this complaint with an unbearable sense of guilt and a heavy heart... I can no longer bear the memories of the murders I witnessed, the threats I received for burying the bodies, and the pain of violence - that if I did not bury those bodies, I would be buried alongside them."
During the recent excavation at site number 13 in Dharmasthala, officials reported that no human remains were found. This excavation is part of a broader investigation led by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was ordered earlier this year following allegations of illegal burials in the area. The complainant had claimed that dozens of human bodies were buried at that location.
Despite employing Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology and digging up to 18 feet deep at site number 13, no findings have been reported yet.
Ongoing Investigations and Techniques Used
The SIT is actively investigating the alleged burials in Dharmasthala, utilizing GPR technology at the site. Before the excavation commenced, a drone equipped with GPR was used to scan the underground surface. However, the SIT has not yet disclosed the results of the GPR imagery analysis.
According to sources, the SIT utilized two earth movers to excavate 18 feet deep and 25 feet wide at site number 13, removing over 20 tons of soil, but no human skeletons were discovered.
The excavation work began at 11:30 AM and continued until the evening, after which the site was filled in again. Officials have not indicated whether further excavations will take place at other marked locations. The excavation at site number 13 was the deepest conducted so far.
The investigation is being led by the SIT chief and Director General of Police for Law and Order, Pranab Mohanty. To ensure transparency, the GPR investigation is being conducted in the presence of the complainant and their lawyer, with hopes that this will reveal crucial evidence related to the case.
Allegations of Mass Graves
The anonymous complainant has identified 16 locations in the Dharmasthala area where it is claimed that the bodies of numerous women and minors have been buried. So far, evidence of mass graves has not been found at any site except for site number 6, where officials recovered a partially broken human jaw and some other bones. Revenue officials from the Belthangady taluk later confirmed these findings, although the age of the remains has not yet been formally determined.