Dharmasthala: Burnt Bodies Of Raped Schoolgirls, Women: Ex-Sanitation Worker's Shocking Claims

A man from Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district has made serious allegations, claiming he was coerced into burning and burying the bodies of rape victims. He stated that these victims, including schoolgirls, were murdered in Dharmasthala and surrounding areas between 1998 and 2014. The man, a former sanitation worker for the Dharmasthala temple administration, approached local authorities seeking protection for himself and his family, according to a report in The Indian Express.

The individual revealed that some of the corpses he handled showed signs of sexual assault, strangulation, and other injuries. He decided to come forward after nearly a decade due to feelings of guilt and a desire to seek justice for the victims. "The person has requested not to reveal his identity and after obtaining necessary permission from the court, we registered a case," said Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Arun K told the English publication.

Allegations of Murder and Cover-Up

In his complaint, the former worker recounted an incident involving a schoolgirl found dead near Kalleri in 2010. She was discovered about 500 metres from a petrol station, wearing only part of her school uniform. Her body bore marks of sexual assault and strangulation. The man claimed he was instructed to bury her body along with her schoolbag.

The complainant also alleged witnessing multiple murders of homeless men and beggars in the area over the years. He stated that his supervisor ordered him to dispose of these bodies secretly. When he refused and threatened to report to the police, he was allegedly assaulted.

Seeking Justice After Years

The man submitted photographs of human remains he claims to have recently exhumed — remains he says were buried years ago. "I request the police to exhume the remains of bodies buried by me," he urged. He left Dharmasthala with his family about 11 years ago due to fear for their lives.

"Colour photocopies of two photographs, showing a skull and some skeletal remains, have been submitted to the police station. While submitting the complaint on behalf of the complainant, his lawyer had issued a written statement that sketches [of those killed] would be submitted to the court at a later stage," police told The Times of India.

However, the authenticity of some of the skeletal remains and the exact number of victims are yet to be confirmed by the authorities.

Infamous Soujanya Murder Case

The allegations come to light months after an AI-generated video, accusing Dharmasthala's influential Heggade family of involvement in the Soujanya murder case, went viral.

17-year-old Soujanya, a second-year Pre-University student from Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College, was brutally murdered near the Nethravathi River on October 9, 2012. Santhosh Rao was the sole accused in the case and he was acquitted by a Bengaluru Sessions Court on June 16, 2023, as there was no credible evidence to prove his involvement. However, her family has accused the influential Veerendra Heggde family of protecting the real culprits.

Hence, there has been protests across Dakshina Kannada seeking justice for the victim for over a decade now.