Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala ‘mass burial’ case failed to recover any skeletal remains at the 13th location identified by a complainant-witness, despite digging 16 feet deep on Wednesday.
According to SIT officials, the search at the site—located near the Netravati bathing ghat—was preceded by a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey due to the presence of three electricity poles and a vented dam nearby. Excavation was carried out in only one portion on Tuesday and resumed on Wednesday, with heavy machinery used despite rain. An area measuring 32 by 28 feet was dug until 6:30 p.m., in the presence of the complainant-witness, forensic experts, SIT SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama, and Puttur AC Stella Varghese.
Meanwhile, two Dharmasthala residents, Purandara Gowda and Tukaram Gowda, told media they had filed complaints with the SIT, claiming to have personally witnessed body burials in the village. Purandara, who ran a shop in Dharmasthala from 2003–2017 and is the uncle of Sowjanya, said he saw workers burying bodies—sometimes brought in cars—at sites now under investigation. He alleged that the complainant-witness in the case resembles one of the people he saw at the burials and expressed surprise no remains were found at sites 1 and 13.
Both men said they had remained silent for years out of fear but were encouraged to speak after the SIT was formed. Tukaram confirmed he had also seen burials and would share full details with investigators.