Mangaluru, 31 July (H.S.): The investigation into the alleged mass burial of bodies in Dharmasthala village of Belthangady taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, has taken a serious turn, as human skeletal remains have been discovered at the sixth site identified by the complainant, confirmed sources in the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Excavation at the sixth site, involving a team of 15 labourers, has so far unearthed partial skeletal remains rather than a complete body. The digging continues deeper, and the recovered remains are being prepared for forensic analysis at the appropriate laboratory.

The SIT is now preparing to excavate at the 7th and 8th identified locations. Meanwhile, all police stations across Karnataka have been instructed to submit detailed records of missing persons, murder, and rape cases reported during the periods of 1995–2005 and 2005–2015. These records are to be submitted in two separate lists, as per SIT instructions.

Background of the Case:

The case came to light after a sanitation worker anonymously alleged that he had buried hundreds of bodies of women and children in the forests near the Netravati River between 1998 and 2014. It was claimed that many of these deaths were related to incidents of sexual assault and murder.

Formation of SIT:

In response to the grave allegations, the Karnataka state government formed a Special Investigation Team on July 19, 2025, under the leadership of DIG Dr. Pranav Mohanty.

Hindusthan Samachar / Rakesh Mahadevappa