Dharmasthala case: ‘Mass burial’ complainant arrested

An anonymous man who sparked widespread panic by claiming to have buried hundreds of bodies in Dharmasthala in Karnataka has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

According to reports, the SIT concluded that his statements were false after a detailed investigation.

Also read: Charges of multiple murders in Dharmasthala 'baseless', says Dharmadhikari Heggade

The man, who arrived at the SIT office wearing a mask at around 2 PM on Friday (August 22), was questioned extensively by SIT chief Pranab Mohanty until 5 AM on Saturday. Following this marathon interrogation, he was taken into custody.

False claims triggered SIT probe

The anonymous tip-off initially alleged that hundreds of bodies were buried in the temple town of Dharmasthala. Given the seriousness of the accusation, the state government promptly constituted an SIT to investigate.

Also read: Dharmasthala case: Real probe will begin after DNA sample analysis, says Karnataka govt

During the inquiry, the man led officials to 17 locations where he claimed the bodies were buried. However, skeletal remains were discovered in only two sites. At the other 15 locations, investigators found no evidence whatsoever, raising doubts about the authenticity of his claims.

Statements under scrutiny

With no additional remains recovered, the SIT suspended its burial site searches and focused on verifying the man’s statements. Investigation officer Jitendra Dayama, along with a team of around 25 police personnel, questioned him intensively at the SIT station. His claims were cross-checked from multiple angles, which ultimately exposed inconsistencies.

The 'masked man' is expected to be produced before the court on Saturday, where the SIT will likely seek his police custody for further interrogation. More details are expected to emerge after the next phase of questioning in custody.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)