**Dharmasthala, Karnataka, August 5, 2025** – The Dharmasthala mass burial case, one of India’s most shocking criminal investigations, has seen significant new revelations as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) intensifies its probe into allegations of over 100 unlawful burials linked to alleged rapes and murders between 1995 and 2014. A second eyewitness and fresh RTI disclosures have added new dimensions to the case, while concerns over witness safety and police conduct continue to cast a shadow over the investigation.
### Second Eyewitness Testimony
A major breakthrough emerged on August 2, 2025, when Jayanth T, a 48-year-old RTI activist from Ichlampady village in Puttur taluk, filed a formal complaint with the SIT in Belthangady. Jayanth claimed he witnessed the illegal burial of a teenage girl’s decomposed body in Dharmasthala-Ujire 15 years ago, describing the act as conducted without legal protocols. “I have seen that girl’s body, and it was buried without following any legal procedures. I know the spot where her body was buried,” he told the media outside the SIT office. He attributed his delay in coming forward to a “long-standing atmosphere of fear” in Dharmasthala, which he said silenced residents for years. Jayanth, a relative of Padmalatha, a young woman who went missing in 1986 and was found dead after 56 days, expressed renewed faith in the system due to the SIT’s formation. He suggested more witnesses may soon come forward, potentially identifying additional burial sites.[](https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/new-witness-emerges-in-dharmasthala-mass-burial-case-says-he-saw-teenage-girl-being-buried)
### RTI Revelations Expose Record Destruction
Jayanth’s complaint was spurred by an RTI query revealing that the Belthangady police destroyed all entries in the Unnatural Death Register (UDR) between 2000 and 2015, a period overlapping with the alleged mass burials. The deleted records included postmortem reports, photographs, and notices used to identify deceased individuals, raising suspicions of a cover-up. Jayanth questioned how such records could be destroyed without digital backups in today’s era, alleging that officials were present during the illegal burial he witnessed. He stated, “When the girl’s body was found, all legal procedures were violated. They buried the body like one would bury a dog. That sight has haunted me for years.” These revelations have intensified demands for a thorough investigation into potential police collusion.[](https://www.indiatoday.in/india/south/story/they-buried-her-like-dog-new-testimonies-in-dharmasthala-mass-burial-case-2765522-2025-08-03)
### SIT Progress and Challenges
The SIT, led by Director General of Police Pronab Mohanty, has excavated ten of the 13 sites identified by the primary whistleblower, a former sanitation worker who alleged he was coerced into burying bodies under death threats. On July 31, 2025, partial skeletal remains, suspected to be male, were found at the sixth site near the Nethravathi River at a depth of three feet. The remains included 15 bones, some broken, but no skull, complicating identification. Forensic analysis is ongoing to determine gender, identity, and cause of death. Items recovered include a PAN card traced to Suresh, who died of jaundice in March 2025, and two ATM cards, one bearing the name “Lakshmi.” The SIT is verifying their relevance, with advocate N. Manjunath, representing Sujatha Bhat, noting these as progress in the case of her missing daughter, Ananya Bhat.[](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/dharmasthala-burial-partial-skeletal-remains-found-at-sixth-site/article69877516.ece)[](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/dharmasthala-case-skeletal-remains-pan-atm-cards-found/articleshow/123030300.cms)
Excavations at the remaining sites have yielded no further remains, with rain and water seepage near the river posing challenges, necessitating heavy machinery. The SIT has been bolstered by nine additional officers, bringing the total to 29, to assist in the labor-intensive process. However, concerns over the investigation’s integrity surfaced when advocate Ananya Gowda alleged on August 1 that Inspector Manjunath Gowda from Sirsi Rural police station threatened the primary whistleblower, referred to as ‘X,’ with arrest and imprisonment to withdraw his complaint. The SIT is reviewing the complaint, with a senior official denying sabotage but confirming an internal inquiry.[](https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/dharmasthala-mass-burial-case-sit-officer-accused-of-threatening-key-witness)
### Legal and Public Developments
On August 1, 2025, the Karnataka High Court overturned a Bengaluru court’s gag order that had suppressed over 8,800 media reports, following a petition by YouTube channel Kudle Rampage. The decision, citing violations of free speech, has allowed renewed public scrutiny. An arrest was made over an AI-generated video spreading misinformation, which gained millions of views by July 14, 2025, highlighting the case’s sensitivity.[](https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/karnataka/dharmasthala-govts-police-parties-complicit-cover-up-advocate-balan-interview-199768)[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmasthala_mass_burial_case)
The Karnataka State Commission for Women has demanded 20 years’ worth of data on missing women and students, while activists and lawyers, including S. Balan, have called for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe, citing possible organ trafficking or ritual sacrifice. Balan described the case as “India’s worst serial killings post-Independence,” alleging a pattern targeting young Brahmin girls and systemic cover-ups by police and political figures.[](https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/karnataka/dharmasthala-govts-police-parties-complicit-cover-up-advocate-balan-interview-199768)
### Historical Context and Ongoing Demands
The case has revived unresolved cases like the 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya and the 2003 disappearance of Ananya Bhat, with families alleging police inaction and interference by influential figures tied to the Dharmasthala temple administration. The temple, managed by the Heggade family, has welcomed the SIT probe, with spokesperson K. Parshwanath Jain calling for a transparent investigation to uncover the truth.[](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/dharmasthala-temple-sit-probe-secret-burial-case-highest-level-investigation-10139481/)
As the SIT continues its work, public outrage grows, with protests demanding accountability and justice for victims. The emergence of a second eyewitness and RTI revelations have heightened pressure for a comprehensive probe, potentially uncovering a decades-long web of violence and silence in Dharmasthala.
