Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sept 15: In a case that has sent shockwaves across coastal Karnataka, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing allegations of illegal human burials in Dharmasthala village has now received over 30 complaints—ranging from suspicious deaths to missing persons and unauthorised disposal of bodies.

The SIT is reportedly preparing to launch a full-scale investigation into selected cases, even as it faces mounting political pressure and startling claims that the entire controversy may be backed by foreign funding to malign the religious sanctity of the Dharmasthala temple.

The growing list of complaints includes accusations of missing persons, unnatural deaths, suspected murders, and the illegal disposal of bodies—allegedly carried out with the involvement of the local village panchayat and members of the police force.

Adding to the gravity, a few complainants have alleged a wider conspiracy aimed at damaging the reputation of the Dharmasthala temple, one of Karnataka’s most revered pilgrimage centres. They claim this campaign is being financially supported by foreign entities.

To review the investigation’s progress and determine the credibility of the complaints, SIT chief Pranab Mohanty convened a high-level meeting at the Beltangady office and he was joined by superintendents of police Jitendra Kumar Dayama, C A Simon, and other senior officers. The SIT is now sifting through the complaints to determine which merit deeper investigation and which can be closed due to insufficient evidence.

“We’ve received over 30 complaints, all of which are under scrutiny. If any are found to be lacking in substance, they will be closed with due process. However, a number of cases demand full-scale investigation, and further information needs to be collected,” a senior source revealed.

More bodies beneath the surface?

In a development that could mark a turning point in the investigation, a key witness recently led SIT officials to skeletal remains in the forests of Banglegudde. Upon inspection, additional human remains were reportedly discovered nearby.

The witness, Vittal Gowda, not only identified the precise spot to the SIT but also shared a video on social media that appeared to show the remains partially buried. SIT officers who accompanied him to the site are said to have seen the remains firsthand. Sources indicate that further excavation and forensic investigation at the location are now being planned.

Political pressure and public demands

Amid the ongoing investigation, former chief minister and current Member of Parliament Basavaraj Bommai has alleged that political interference is stalling the SIT’s progress, particularly in taking action against those believed to be orchestrating the alleged conspiracy.

“After the ‘Mask Man’ complaint was proven false, several other serious complaints have emerged. The SIT must uphold accountability and transparency. It’s time they issue an interim report detailing the progress of the investigation so far,” Bommai stated.

With public interest intensifying and more potential evidence surfacing, the SIT is under growing pressure to conduct a transparent, impartial, and thorough probe.

• Dharmasthala mass burial case: Thimarody flags 4 suspected murders to SIT; human remains found
• SIT revisits Dharmasthala burial site, skeletal remains sent for forensic tests
• New evidence emerges in Dharmasthala case: Original video shows remains hauled from forest
• Dharmasthala murder probe: Villagers write to SIT, offer to reveal alleged burial sites
• Dharmasthala case: Intelligence warned of conspiracy in 2023
• Dharmasthala murder probe: Villagers write to SIT, offer to reveal alleged burial sites
• SIT steps up probe in Dharmasthala skull case, seizes hotel records linked to Chinnayya 
• Dharmasthala ‘maskman’ identified as C N Chinnayya, remanded to 10-day SIT custody
• Dharmasthala ‘skull’ case takes dramatic turn; sourced from medical research centre
• Dharmasthala case: ‘Maskman’ arrested by SIT for giving false information
• Dharmasthala case: Fresh search for bones likely after FSL report
• Dharmasthala case: RTI reveals 279 bodies buried since 1987; most unclaimed, SIT probe intensifies
• SIT probe in Dharmasthala case at crucial stage; operation may conclude soon
• Dharmasthala case: Witness complainant shows new site near Kanyadi
• New witness emerges in Dharmasthala mass burial case, claims key evidence
• Dharmasthala case: SIT considering narco test on complainant? Key developments emerge
• Beltangady: SIT deploys ground penetrating radar at 13th site in Dharmasthala burial probe
• Dharmasthala grave mystery: SIT finds nothing at Ratnagiri Hill’s ‘point 16’ despite day-long dig
• Dharmasthala mass burial case: SIT begins excavation at 14th site after discovery of human remains
• Body found at new location during SIT operation in Dharmasthala case
• Dharmasthala mass burial: Fifth day search yields no remains at two new suspected sites
• Dharmasthala burial case: Skeletal remains found at sixth location
• No human remains found yet in Dharmasthala case; PAN, ATM cards recovered, probe continues
• No human remains found on Day 1 of SIT’s excavation at Dharmasthala forest site
• Exhumation begins in Dharmasthala forest in mass grave case; medical team joins SIT
• Armed security deployed at Dharmasthala as SIT identifies suspected mass burial sites in forest area
• Dharmasthala mass burials: Witness, complainant record statements as SIT begins probe
• SIT begins probe into Dharmasthala unnatural deaths; office set up in Beltangady
• SIT constituted to probe mass burial allegations, abuse cases in Dharmasthala region
• Witness may abscond after exhumation in Dharmasthala case, says DK SP
• Dharmasthala mass burials: Complainant's lawyers decry police response, demand protection, action
• Man claiming to have buried over 100 bodies near Dharmasthala appears before court
• Shocking allegation of multiple body disposals in Dharmasthala; complainant seeks protection
• Lawyers seek SP’s attention over Dharmasthala murder case; claim man identified burial spots
• Explosive letter goes viral: Alleges murders, cover-ups in Dharmasthala; claims bodies were hidden