The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case in Banglegudda, Dakshina Kannada district, has recovered at least seven skulls, mostly belonging to middle-aged men.
According to SIT sources, five skulls were discovered on Wednesday and two additional ones on Thursday. Preliminary assessments suggest the remains are around a year old, and forensic analysis is expected to provide more details. One source indicated that some of the skulls could be linked to possible suicide cases.
Excavation Underway In Banglegudda
Excavation work is ongoing between the 11th and 12th burial sites in Banglegudda as part of the investigation into the alleged Dharmasthala mass burials. The development comes after SIT Chief Pronab Mohanty met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday to brief him on the progress of the probe.
The excavation follows statements by Vittal Gowda, a relative of Soujanya, who was allegedly kidnapped, gang-raped, and killed in Dharmasthala. Gowda claimed to have witnessed piles of children’s bones and bodies being buried in the area, prompting the SIT to launch digging operations.
Petition Calls for SIT Supervision by Retired Supreme Court Judge
Meanwhile, activists have approached the Supreme Court seeking urgent judicial oversight of the investigation. The apex court has been asked to take suo motu cognisance of the alleged mass burials, following revelations by sanitation worker CN Chinnayya, also known as the ‘mask man,’ who reportedly exposed decades-long secret burials linked to alleged crimes and sexual assaults.
Advocate Rohit Pandey has formally appealed to the Chief Justice of India to place the SIT under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge to ensure a transparent and independent investigation. Pandey has also called for the immediate exhumation and forensic examination of all visible remains at Banglegudda and other identified sites under judicial oversight.
Lawyers representing the victims have reported harassment and intimidation by local police, which they say is threatening both justice and the independence of legal counsel. Witnesses and victims’ families are reportedly under severe threat, raising concerns about a possible breakdown of law and order in Karnataka, the petition said.
The Dharmasthala mass burial case involves allegations by a former sanitation worker that he was forced to secretly bury hundreds of bodies, mostly women and children, between 1995 and 2014.
