Karnataka government constitutes SIT to probe Dharmasthala alleged mass burial case

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 20 (ANI): The Karnataka Government on Sunday issued an order to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter related to alleged incidents of mass murder, mass rape, and mass burial in Dharmasthala town.
The development follows a letter from the Karnataka State Women's Commission (KSWC) requesting that CM Siddaramaiah form an SIT under the leadership of senior police officials to investigate the matter.
In their letter, the KSWC cited a media report which consisted of a statement from a person who had claimed that bodies were buried in the past 20 years in the region.
The government order said that it was found appropriate to form a Special Investigation Team to investigate the cases registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS) at the Dharmasthala police station.
Earlier on July 16, A group of concerned public-interested lawyers met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Chief Minister's Residence "Krishna" to urgently request the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged incidents of mass murder, mass rape, and mass burial at Dharmasthala.
The advocates apprised the Chief Minister of the grave factual matrix surrounding these widely reported incidents.
In a shocking development, a complaint has been filed with the Dharmasthala Police alleging the secret disposal of multiple bodies in the village of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka.
The complainant, a former sanitation worker at the Dharmasthala temple, ridden with remorse, whose identity remains confidential for security reasons, has expressed willingness to cooperate with authorities if provided legal protection for himself and his family.
According to the complaint filed at the Superintendent of Police's (SP) office, the individual claims to have been involved in the disposal of several bodies under threat. Overwhelmed by guilt, the whistleblower has now come forward, offering to share detailed information about those involved and the specific locations where the bodies were disposed of, conditional upon assurance of safety.
The complaint has been formally registered at the office of the Superintendent of Police and the Dharmasthala Police Station. Following due process and obtaining necessary court permission, a case was registered on July 4, under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The matter is currently under investigation, and further action will be determined based on the findings. (ANI)