Dharmasthala case: 'Teen buried without FIR, autopsy 15 yrs ago', claims new witness

In a new development to the Dharmasthala mass burial case, a second witness from Ichlampady village in Dakshina Kannada district appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Belthangady on Saturday (August 2) to provide testimony about a murder that allegedly took place 15 years ago.

Murder of teen girl covered up: Witness

The man, Jayanth T, told the SIT that he saw the body of a girl aged between 13 and 15 who had died under mysterious circumstances in Dharmasthala village. He claimed that he saw the body in a decomposed condition and that he had filed a complaint a week later. Jayanth said that while the body was buried after his complaint, no post-mortem was conducted, and no FIR was filed.

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“The murder was covered up,” Deccan Herald quoted him as saying, adding that he can show the SIT where the body was buried.

During his interaction with the media after giving his testimony to the SIT, Jayanth also claimed that he had first-hand knowledge of multiple "unlawful burials" that were carried out in the village of Dharmasthala.

'Locals knew about murders'

He claimed that he observed some of these burial activities at various locations, and his statements could help uncover additional grave sites.

He said not just him, but several locals were aware of these murders, but no one would come up and speak due to fear.

“But due to an atmosphere of fear, no one dared to file complaints. The SIT formed has helped lift that fear. I now have confidence in the SIT, which is why I submitted my complaint,” DH quoted him as saying.

Jayant has also requested the investigating team to probe the case of Padmalatha, a girl from his family, who he claims was witness to the case of the teenage girl’s death as well.

The development comes at a time when the SIT is undertaking systematic excavation at several sites along the Netravathi riverbank, based on the initial complaint of an anonymous person that prompted the probe.

Also read: Dharmasthala case: SIT inspector accused of threatening complainant

Earlier excavations had yielded partial skeletal fragments at one location, while others remained unproductive.

No skeletal remains found at Site 9, 10

Meanwhile, during Saturday’s exhumation, no skeletal remains were recovered at the ninth and tenth sites identified by the anonymous complainant-witness.

The latest round of digging—conducted in the presence of the complainant—follows earlier exhumations at eight of the 15 sites marked along the Netravathi riverbank in a forested stretch beside the Ujire‑Dharmasthala–Kokkada highway.

So far, skeletal remains have been recovered only from site No 6 on Thursday, where 15 bone fragments—no skull—were found.

On-site forensic experts have given a preliminary assessment indicating the remains were male. Subsequent excavations at sites 7 and 8 yielded no human remains, SIT officials said.

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Security has been heightened in the forested zones, particularly around site No 6, following the discovery. Armed police personnel and teams from the forest, revenue, and forensic departments are participating in the multi-agency operation.

Mobile phone usage remains restricted at the excavation sites and is permitted only for senior officers, police added.

SIT to question ‘erring’ cop

Meanwhile, the SIT probing the case is set to interrogate a police officer accused of threatening the complainant-witness. The officer, Manjunath Gowda, was part of the initial investigation before the case was handed over to the SIT.

According to police, the complainant has alleged that Gowda attempted to coerce him into retracting his statement and tried to paint him as "mentally unstable." An advocate representing the complainant, Manjunath, has also lodged a complaint against the officer.

The SIT team has been assisted by daily wage workers, machinery operators, and mechanical grass-cutting tools during the exhumation. A mechanical excavator was deployed for deeper digging at some sites.

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The skeletal remains recovered from site No 6 have been sent for forensic analysis. No other major recoveries have been reported from the remaining sites. However, during Tuesday's digging, a PAN card bearing a man's name and a debit card with a woman’s name were recovered.

Investigations later revealed that the debit card belonged to a woman named Sidalakshamma, a resident of Nelamangala near Bengaluru, and the PAN card belonged to her son Suresh, who had died of health complications related to alcohol addiction.

According to police, Suresh had lost the cards during a visit to Dharmasthala around five years ago, and officials suspect they were washed ashore along the Netravathi riverbank.

Anonymous complaint

The SIT was formed by the state government after allegations emerged of mass murder, rape, and illegal burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.

The anonymous complainant, a former sanitation worker whose identity has not been disclosed, claimed that he was employed in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014.

Also read: Dharmasthala case: SIT finds skeleton at burial site 6 in major breakthrough

He alleged that he was forced to bury several bodies—including those of women and minors—some of which bore signs of sexual assault. He has since recorded a statement before a magistrate in connection with these claims.