Dharmasthala Mass Burial Probe: Skeletal Remains Found at Sixth Site
MANGALURU, Karnataka, India – July 31, 2025: Big news in the Dharmasthala mass burial case: the Special Investigation Team (SIT) apparently discovered some skeletal remains at their sixth dig site this Thursday, July 31, 2025. This is the first real clue they’ve found since starting the exhumation on Tuesday, all thanks to a former sanitation worker who blew the whistle.
How the Investigation Started
The whole thing started with some pretty disturbing claims from a former sanitation worker. He said he was forced to bury and cremate tons of bodies—mostly women and kids—in the Dharmasthala area between 1995 and 2014. He even said a lot of the bodies looked like they’d been sexually assaulted and hurt. He backed up his story with photos of some bodies that had already been dug up. Because of this, the Karnataka government formed the SIT on July 20, 2025, to look into these mass burial claims, plus the sexual violence and possible cover-ups.
The Dig and the Discovery
The SIT, headed by SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama and overseen by DIG M.N. Anucheth, started digging at sites the whistleblower pointed out near the Netravathi River. For two days, they searched five sites and came up empty, which made people wonder if the claims were real. But then, on Thursday, they used a small digger and water pumps and located the partial skeletal remains at site number 6, about 4 feet down.
What’s Next?
The skeletal remains were immediately taken to be examined by forensic experts from KMC Hospital, Mangaluru, including Dr. Jagadish Rao and Dr. Rashmi. The SIT hasn’t said anything official yet about the remains or what they plan to do next.
Why This Matters
This case has gotten a lot of attention in Karnataka and elsewhere. Dharmasthala is a major pilgrimage site, and there are accusations that the temple administration could be involved. The Karnataka State Commission for Women and other activist groups are pushing for a full and unbiased investigation, pointing out that police haven’t always taken missing persons cases in the area seriously in the past. People are also worried about political meddling and the safety of the whistleblower, so the SIT has set up an office in Mallikatte, Mangaluru, where the public can interact and share info about the investigation.
