Dharmasthala Case: GPR Technology Sought After Whistleblower Mass Burial Claims, SIT Yet to Approve

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the shocking mass burial allegations in Dharmasthala village, continued its search operations on Monday in the forest area along the banks of the Nethravathi River, within the Dharmasthala police station limits.

Officials were scheduled to excavate the 11th, 12th, and 13th marked spots, with plans to assess two more-spots 14 and 15-which are yet to be officially demarcated. The SIT, accompanied by the complainant witness, entered the forest near the Netravati bathing ghat and the adjacent highway. So far, 10 of the 13 identified sites have been dug in search of human remains.

Although the 11th site was set to be excavated on Monday, the team did not proceed with digging at that location. Instead, the complainant witness was taken deeper into the forest, according to reports. It remains unclear what developments occurred beyond the marked sites.

The SIT's probe was prompted by a whistleblower complaint submitted earlier in July, claiming that hundreds of bodies were buried between 1995 and 2014. The complainant, a former sanitation worker, alleged he was coerced into disposing of the bodies, many of which were allegedly linked to cases of sexual abuse. These startling revelations have triggered widespread public concern and a demand for transparency.

In response, the Karnataka government formed the SIT on July 19, headed by DGP Pronab Mohanty, to investigate the allegations. So far, the SIT has identified 13 locations for excavation, with more possibly under review.

Excavations Yield Limited Results So Far

As per the SIT's ongoing investigation, 10 of the 13 sites mentioned in the whistleblower's report have already been excavated. However, no conclusive evidence have been recovered yet.

Searches have revealed a few scattered items-such as ID cards, PAN cards, and a red blouse-but have not yielded bodies or verifiable forensic evidence to support the allegations in the report. In multiple locations, excavations went as deep as six feet and as wide as five feet without uncovering any human remains.

GPR Technology Sought for Further Probe

With no concrete findings so far, an advocate representing the mother of a medical student who allegedly went missing in Dharmasthala in 2003 has urged the SIT to deploy Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) at the sites already identified and exhumed in connection with the ongoing mass burial case. Manjunath, the legal counsel for Sujatha Bhat-mother of Ananya Bhat, the missing medical student-has called for the use of advanced technology to help uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances. Ananya was last seen in Dharmasthala in 2003, and her case remains unresolved.

Given the passage of time and possible changes in soil composition, the report argues that traditional digging methods may no longer be effective. GPR, which allows scanning beneath the surface without further excavation, could improve the chances of detecting buried remains-if any-across the identified sites.

The SIT is yet to decide whether GPR will be employed in the remaining three sites. According to reports, a bone fragment, initially found during an earlier search, was found to be over 40 years old casting doubt on its connection to the allegations.

SIT Shifts Strategy, Begins Undercover Work

Given the limited results from excavation, the SIT has now begun undercover operations in both Dharmasthala and nearby Belthangady village. Officers are collecting ground-level information from locals to cross-check the claims in the report. Reports suggest that certain findings from these interactions have added new layers to the investigation, though details remain confidential at this stage.

The SIT may also employ GPR to expand their search operations further, depending on upcoming leads and forensic results.

The allegations detailed in the report are grave, involving claims of coercion and systemic abuse by unnamed individuals allegedly associated with the Dharmasthala Temple Administration. Authorities have reiterated that the investigation remains impartial and evidence-based.

According to reports, SIT officials confirmed that records of unnatural deaths (UDRs) between 1995 and 2014 have been collected from the Dharmasthala Gram Panchayat for verification purposes.

As of now, no conclusive link has been established between the claims in the report and any specific criminal activity. However, the SIT continues to probe all angles and has not ruled out any possibilities.