Mangaluru, August 3, 2025 — A new and disturbing dimension has surfaced in the ongoing probe into mass burial allegations near Dharmasthala, Karnataka, after a villager came forward claiming to be a witness to the murder of a teenage girl nearly 15 years ago, whose body was buried without any post‑mortem or investigation.
Villager Makes Allegation to SIT
According to local man Jayanth T, he witnessed the murder of a teenage girl approximately in 2010, after which the body was buried secretly with no FIR registered or post‑mortem conducted at the time, he told the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe the mass burial claims. With renewed confidence in the impartiality of the SIT, Jayanth is set to return to provide further details shortly .
Dharmasthala Mass Burials Allegations
The mass burial investigation was triggered in early July 2025, when a former sanitation worker from Dharmasthala temple administration alleged that between 1995 and 2014, he was forced to bury hundreds of bodies—many of them women and girls—some showing signs of sexual violence, burning, or strangulation . Partial skeletal remains and personal items were later recovered from one of the identified burial sites during SIT excavations .
Responding to mounting public pressure, including appeals from the Karnataka State Women’s Commission and senior advocates, the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team on July 19, 2025, headed by DGP Pronab Mohanty, with support from DIG M.N. Anucheth, DCP S.K. Soumyalatha and SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama .
SIT’s Ground Operations Underway
Exhumations continued across identified sites in Dharmasthala, with skeletal fragments unearthed at Point 6 on day three of digging, along with PAN and ATM cards believed to belong to victims . On day 5, excavations at Points 9 and 10 yielded no remains, hampered later by heavy rainfall .
All excavation work is being recorded on video, and legal representatives of the complainant are present at the sites to ensure transparency and accountability .
Mounting Calls for Transparent, Judicial-Supervised Probe
Human rights advocates and a retired Supreme Court Justice V. Gopala Gowda have demanded that SIT operate under the supervision of the judiciary and follow strict forensic protocols including DNA analysis and crime‑scene documentation. Public figures, including survivors’ families, have also urged the transfer of the case to a federal agency such as the NIA, citing its possible links to organised criminal activity over decades .
What Comes Next?
The SIT has established a dedicated office within the Intelligence Bureau premises at Mallikatte, Mangaluru to centralize evidence collection and coordination . Meanwhile, Jayanth’s formal statement risks reopening the painful chapter of numerous unresolved crimes from the region—bringing renewed hopes for justice for victims long denied due process.
Summary
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Alleged crime | Teenage girl murdered and buried ~15 years ago without post-mortem |
| Witness | Villager Jayanth T, now filing complaint with SIT |
| Ongoing investigation | Multiple burial sites dug, skeletal remains & personal items found |
| SIT Leadership | Headed by DGP Pronab Mohanty plus senior officers |
| Oversight demands | Calls for judicial supervision and NIA involvement |
