Mangaluru, Karnataka – August 5, 2025
The ongoing investigation into the alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala, a revered temple town in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, has reached a critical juncture. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed on July 19, 2025, and led by DGP Pronab Mohanty, is grappling with the complex task of verifying claims made by a whistleblower, a former sanitation worker, who alleges he was coerced into burying over 100 bodies—primarily women and girls—between 1995 and 2014. Amid slow progress and environmental hurdles, advocates and experts are pressing for the use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to expedite the search for remains in the forested, rain-soaked terrain near the Nethravathi River.
A Disturbing Allegation Sparks Nationwide Attention
The case first came to light on June 22, 2025, when lawyers Ojaswi Gowda and Sachin Deshpande announced that their client, a former sanitation worker, was prepared to guide authorities to burial sites. The whistleblower, whose identity is protected under the Witness Protection Act, claims he was forced to bury victims of alleged rape and murder, many bearing signs of sexual assault, under threats from influential figures. His allegations, supported by photographs of exhumed remains submitted to the Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police, prompted the registration of a case on July 4 under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The Karnataka government responded swiftly, forming the SIT to investigate these grave accusations, which have reignited public outrage and memories of unresolved cases, such as the 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya. The SIT has since identified 15 potential burial sites, with 10 already excavated. However, only two sites—site No. 6 and a location near site No. 11—have yielded partial skeletal remains, including 15 bones at site No. 6 (suspected to be male) and a skeleton fragment with a saree near site No. 11. These findings, while significant, fall short of substantiating the whistleblower’s claims of mass burials, intensifying calls for advanced technology to bolster the investigation.
The Case for Ground Penetrating Radar
Advocate Manjunath N, representing Sujatha Bhat—whose daughter Ananya, an MBBS student, vanished during a 2003 college trip to Dharmasthala—has been a vocal proponent of deploying GPR. In a press release on August 3, 2025, he argued that the region’s heavy rainfall and shifting soil over the past 11 years may have altered landmarks relied upon by the whistleblower, who left Dharmasthala in 2014. “There is a high probability that the landmarks the witness relied on in his memory may have changed or shifted,” Manjunath stated. “We request the deployment of the most advanced GPR available in India to detect skeletal remains at the already excavated locations and in surrounding areas.”
GPR, a non-invasive technology, uses radar pulses to detect subsurface anomalies such as bones or disturbed soil, making it ideal for the muddy, rocky terrain near the Nethravathi River. Experts note that GPR units, comparable in size to lawnmowers, are portable and can be operated by a small team, minimizing disruption to the sacred site. Indian suppliers like Mistral Solutions in Bengaluru and Aimil Ltd in Delhi offer GPR systems costing ₹10-50 lakh, with rental options as low as ₹30,000 per month, making it a feasible tool for the SIT.
Manjunath expressed confidence in the SIT’s leadership, stating, “Many experts anticipate that the SIT, led by Pronab Mohanty, will implement GPR technology. We have unwavering faith that the Karnataka Government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will support this deployment.”
Challenges in the Investigation
Despite the SIT’s efforts, the investigation faces significant obstacles. Heavy rainfall and wet soil have hampered manual excavations, with water seepage reported at some sites. A post on X by @TNGeography on August 3, 2025, highlighted that Dharmasthala’s high-moisture soil could attenuate GPR signals above 200 MHz, potentially reducing accuracy. Additionally, the whistleblower’s reliance on 11-year-old memories to identify burial sites has led to inconsistent results, with only two of the 10 excavated sites yielding remains.
The destruction of unidentified death records from 2000 to 2015 by Belthangady police, as revealed through an RTI reply, further complicates efforts to corroborate the whistleblower’s claims. Items like a PAN card, a debit card, and a red blouse found at early excavation sites have not provided conclusive forensic evidence, and the SIT’s undercover operations in Dharmasthala and Belthangady have yet to yield significant breakthroughs.
A second complainant, Jayanth T, a 48-year-old social activist, emerged on August 3, claiming firsthand knowledge of additional unlawful burials. His testimony has added complexity to the probe, prompting the SIT to launch a public helpline (0824-2005301, WhatsApp: 8277986369, email: sitdps@ksp.gov.in) to gather more information from locals.
Public and Political Pressure
The case has sparked widespread controversy, with protests echoing the 2012 Sowjanya case and raising questions about caste, power, and institutional silence. The whistleblower, a Dalit man, alleges coercion by upper-caste individuals, intensifying demands for transparency. A gag order issued in July 2025 was overturned by the Karnataka High Court on August 1, following criticism from press freedom advocates and revelations that the issuing judge had ties to the Dharmasthala temple.
The SIT’s mandate extends beyond exhumations to include probing disappearances, sexual violence, and unnatural deaths in the region. However, the Karnataka State Commission for Women has noted a historical lack of police response to missing persons cases, which may hinder family testimonies. The BJP has supported the SIT probe but alleged a conspiracy behind the accusations, with former CM B.S. Yediyurappa stating, “There is no wrongdoing in Dharmasthala.”
A Path Forward
As the SIT continues its work, the deployment of GPR could mark a turning point in the investigation. Experts argue that combining GPR with forensic analysis and cadaver dogs could enhance efficiency and preserve the site’s integrity. The discovery of remains at site No. 6 and near site No. 11 has lent credibility to the whistleblower’s claims, but confirming the scale of the alleged burials requires more robust evidence.
For families like Sujatha Bhat’s, who have waited over two decades for answers, the stakes are deeply personal. “The SIT must leave no stone unturned,” Manjunath urged. As public scrutiny intensifies, the Dharmasthala case remains a litmus test for Karnataka’s commitment to justice, transparency, and the use of modern forensic tools to uncover truths buried in both soil and silence.
Sources: The New Indian Express, The Hindu, Oneindia News, Hindustan Times, Deccan Chronicle, India Today
