Dharmasthala case: SIT launches fresh search at foothills of Bahubali Betta

Dharmasthala: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged mass burial of bodies here has launched a new search operation at the foothills of Bahubali Betta, police said.

The operation began near the main entrance to Dharmasthala, with SIT officers joined by Puttur Sub-Divisional Officer Stella Varghese, Belthangady Tahsildar Prithvi Sanikem, a medical team, forest officials, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team, ISD personnel, and other authorities.

On August 8, the SIT, accompanied by an anonymous complainant, conducted searches at two sites -- numbers 16 and 16A -- in the Boliyar Gonkartar area of Dharmasthala village. Reports suggest that two more locations were excavated, though no official confirmation has been issued.


On Saturday, the complainant was brought under police protection to the new site. Officials have not disclosed how many spots may be identified during this phase. The 13th site, examined earlier, yielded no actionable evidence, prompting the shift to the new location.

A second complainant, Jayanth, has informed the police that he also has identified several spots in and around Dharmasthala for mass burials.

The SIT continues to maintain tight security and is yet to announce any findings from the latest inspection.