Mass Graves, Missing Women: What Karnataka's SIT On Dharmasthala Shocker Will Look Into

Last Updated:July 21, 2025, 12:49 IST

The team is expected to examine every missing person’s case from the region to determine if it is connected to the string of crimes alleged by a former sanitation worker

Lawyers representing the whistleblower submitted a memorandum to Siddaramaiah, alleging police collusion, information leaks, and intimidation aimed at derailing the probe. (PTI)

After weeks of pressure on the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government to hand over the investigation into the horrific allegations of mass graves, disappearances, and crimes against women in Dharmasthala by a whistleblower, the newly formed Special Investigation Team (SIT) has its hands full.

The Karnataka government has constituted an SIT headed by Director General of Police (Internal Security Division and Cyber Command) Pronab Mohanty and the team has been tasked with probing the alleged series of murders and mass burials in and around Dharmasthala—a prominent temple town in Dakshina Kannada district.

The SIT includes a highly qualified team working with Mohanty, including Deputy Inspector General of Police (Recruitment) MN Anucheth, Deputy Commissioner of Police (City Armed Reserve) Soumyalatha, and Superintendent of Police (Internal Security Division) Jitendra Kumar Dayama.

What is the SIT expected to do?

It is not only expected to uncover the truth and deliver justice to the victims and their families, but also to examine every missing person’s case from the region to determine if it is connected to the string of crimes alleged by a former sanitation worker.

The SIT was formed following explosive revelations by a former sanitation worker, who testified under Section 164 of the CrPC that he buried the bodies of women and minors around the Dharmasthala temple during his tenure between 1994 and 2014, sparking outrage and widespread calls for an independent SIT probe.

The whistleblower, who has sought anonymity citing threats to his life, claims to have buried hundreds of bodies over nearly two decades.

As part of the investigation, the Dakshina Kannada police, who were conducting the preliminary probe, had sought court permission to conduct brain mapping, fingerprinting, and narco-analysis of the complainant. The Investigation Officer (IO) in the case was empowered to decide when to exhume bodies. Now, all this analysis and probe will be overseen by the SIT. A senior officer explained to News18 that the process of investigation—especially the exhumation—will be done with extreme sensitivity, ensuring that evidence is preserved and there are no procedural lapses.

The government has directed that all present and future cases linked to Dharmasthala—registered at various police stations across Karnataka—be transferred to the SIT. The DGP and IGP have been tasked with ensuring that the SIT receives the required support and resources. The team has been asked to operate out of the Dakshina Kannada District Police Office and submit regular progress reports.

“The SIT has been directed to carry out a comprehensive and impartial investigation, with a final report to be submitted to the state government at the earliest," the government order stated.

Activists and lawyers had long demanded an SIT, citing past failures in similar high-profile probes related to the temple town.

Following the recent recovery of human remains by police, a preliminary investigation was conducted by district officials. Based on their report, chief minister Siddaramaiah ordered a full-fledged SIT probe. The team will now carry out forensic analysis and initiate legal procedures for exhuming bodies from locations identified by the whistleblower. The investigation would need to look into the whistleblower’s claims that the alleged rapes and murders took place over close to two decades.

Despite pressure from various quarters—including delegations headed by Justice Gopal Gowda, former Backward Classes Commission chairman and advocate CS Dwarakanath, as well as State Women’s Commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Choudhary approaching the CM to form an SIT at the earliest—the government had initially resisted the move, saying they would wait for the local police to conduct their preliminary investigation and recommend whether an SIT was needed. However, the delay in setting up the SIT drew criticism from several quarters.

The whistleblower has claimed that individuals involved in these crimes were connected to the temple administration. Dharmasthala is one of Karnataka’s major pilgrimage centres, attracting devotees from across the country.

The whistleblower’s identity and his testimony are central to the case. Police are keen on continuing to question him and gather further information under anonymity.

The police are reportedly coordinating with advocates representing the whistleblower to ensure his full protection and cooperation. His legal team has expressed concerns that without robust protection, there is a risk to his life and the integrity of the investigation. However, there are fears that he may go incommunicado once the exhumation process begins.

A challenge for the SIT is also the fact that lawyers representing the whistleblower submitted a memorandum to Siddaramaiah, alleging police collusion, information leaks, and intimidation aimed at derailing the probe. They said they believe there has been a long-standing nexus within the police to silence evidence of these crimes.

The Start

The issue first came to light on July 3, when the sanitation worker filed a complaint through his legal team with the Dharmasthala police. He alleged that during his employment from 1995 to December 2014, he was forced to bury the bodies of multiple people, including rape and murder victims. A case was registered by Dharmasthala police the following day under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, after receiving court approval.

On July 11, the whistleblower produced skeletal remains—said to have been exhumed by him—before the Principal Civil Judge and JMFC in Belthangady, and recorded a formal statement.

In a detailed complaint to the Dakshina Kannada Police Commissioner, the whistleblower alleged he was threatened with death and forced to dispose of hundreds of bodies over nearly 20 years. He accused individuals linked to the Dharmasthala administration of being involved in the cover-up. Dakshina Kannada police registered an FIR (Crime No. 39/2025) under Section 211(a) of the BNS after court approval.

K Parshwanath Jain, spokesperson for Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, reacted to the SIT formation with a statement. “Truth and belief are the strongest foundation for a society’s ethics and faith. Therefore, it is our sincere hope and earnest demand that the SIT conducts the highest level of investigation in this case and brings out the true facts to light," he said.

A member of the complainant’s legal team has also urged the Kerala government to pass a resolution in its assembly, demanding a high-standard probe and for the Kerala Police to be included in the investigation. They also plan to move the Supreme Court on the matter.

The Karnataka government’s SIT formation order also noted the 2003 disappearance of a medical student and the recent discovery of a human skull.

The State Commission for Women had earlier urged Siddaramaiah to form an SIT led by senior officers to investigate “cases of missing women, female students, unnatural deaths, murders, and sexual assaults reported from the Dharmasthala area over the last two decades".

On July 18, Siddaramaiah said the government was not opposed to forming an SIT, but would wait for the initial police report. “We are not for or against it. We will follow the law. If an SIT is required, we will form it. But let the police submit their report first," he told reporters in Mysuru when asked about retired Justice V Gopal Gowda’s demand for an SIT.

Earlier this week, the complainant handed over more skeletal remains to the police. He reiterated his claim that during his years with the Dharmasthala temple administration, he had been ordered by his superiors to dispose of the bodies of women and children.

In a letter dated July 14, the State Women’s Commission cited media reports from July 12 that included a court deposition by a daily-wage worker who claimed to have buried over 100 bodies, and a statement by a family who said their daughter had gone missing from the temple premises.

Based on the whistleblower’s statement, police are preparing to exhume remains from areas near the Nethravathi River.

The sanitation worker’s claims are not the first time Dharmasthala has come under scrutiny over serious allegations of violence, sexual assault, murder, and cover-ups. In 2012, the rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya, a student from the town, had triggered national outrage.

Linked to this, a Bengaluru woman named Sujatha Bhat also filed a formal complaint before the Dakshina Kannada SP. She alleged her daughter, Ananya Bhat, went missing from the Dharmasthala temple in 2003. Sujatha claimed locals told her they had seen temple staff taking away a girl matching her daughter’s description. When she confronted temple authorities, she said she was assaulted, struck on the head, and left in a coma. Out of fear for her life, she said, she remained silent for years.

Apoorva Misra

Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. S...Read More

Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. S...

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