Karnataka Temple Town Under Fire As SIT Finds Human Bones Amid Social Media Claims Of Mass Murders

Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe into the allegations of `secret burials' of hundreds of young girls, who were allegedly raped and murdered two decades ago, have excavated human skeletal remains in one of the sites marked by the `unidentified witness', who had claimed to had buried the bodies at behest of temple authorities.

On Thursday, while excavating the site 6 if the 13 marked places, the SIT first stumbled upon two bones if human kegs. Later, they got a couple of rib cages and other parts. Later, they got four pieces of skull.

The FSL analysts suspect that the skeletal remains belong to man. However, a proper conclusion would be made after analysis.

The Temple town of Karnataka has been under attack on social media, where couple of groups have been claiming that a large number of women and young girls have been raped and murdered in the town, which involves family members of the powerful people.

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The allegations, which started as a social media campaign gained momentum after a person, claiming to be a former employee of the temple and buried hundreds of bodies at the behest of his manager, surfaced and gave a statement before the Magistrate.

The Karnataka Women's Commission, which also received the complaint, wrote a letter to the government, which formed SIT under ADGP (Internal Security) Pranab Mohanthy.

The SIT, along with Putturu Subdivision Assistant Commissioner Stella Verghese took up the investigation with the permission from the court. They brought the `masked man', who had claimed to had buried hundreds of bodies of young girls and women, who were raped and murdered, under the orders of the temple authorities. The masked man led the SIT team along the Netravathi river bathing area and showed 13 sites, claiming to have buried such bodies. Some of the points are just by the side of the river bed and the SIT started excavating the sites marked by the masked man.

On Tuesday, the SIT could dig only one site as it was just on the banks of the river and due to rain and water flow, digging up really took time. After digging for over six feet, they did not find anything.

However on the second day, while digging, the SIT team got a torn blouse, a PAN card and a debit card. While the PAN card belonged to a woman called Lakshmi, the debit card belonged to a man. The identities of both of them are being ascertained. Along with the findings, the SIT dug four more sites on Wednesday, but could not find anything.

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On Thursday, the excavation began at site No 6, which is also next to the river bed. After digging for three feet, the SIT stumbled upon a couple of human bones, suspected to be of rib cage. Then the other bones. The FSL officials collected the bones and have taken them to the laboratory for forensic analysis. According to the officials, the prima facie analysis indicates that the bones belong to male body. However, exact details would be given only after final analysis.

After finding the parts of skeletons, the SIT officials have decided to dig deep in the spot. For the last three days, the masked man, who had confidently shown 13 sites, had started talking about site No 6, 8 and 9, saying that he had buried many bodies in these sites. However, the SIT officials are not jumping into conclusions and are excavating the sites as per the order that was shown to them.

The episode of women being raped and murdered in Dharmasthala, that is too accusing the temple authorities being behind it started gaining momentum after rape and murder of 17-year-old Soujanya, that took place in 2012, while she was returning home from the college. The murder had sent a shock wave into the temple town, as it was a brutal rape and murder in an isolated place. When the Dharmasthala police arrested Santhosh Rao, a mentally challenged person, outrage broke out. The parents and villagers suspected that the children of the powerful persons in the temple administration were behind the rape and murder. After a furore, the investigation was handed over to the CBI.

In 2016, the CBI court acquitted Santhosh Rao, pointing out glaring lacunae in the course of police investigation. Though the CBI went on appeal, even the Karnataka High Court, in 2023, upheld the special court judgement.

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After the 2016 judgment, the entire episode started gaining a mass momentum, with many people from outside also joining the fight for `Justice to Soujanya'. They alleged that there were a number of women were being raped and murdered in the forests around Dharmasthala along the Netravati river banks and without naiming started blaming family members of the temple trustees.

Meanwhile, on June 21, a person claiming to be former employee of Dharmasthala temple submitted a letter to the Dakshina Kannada SP that he had buried hundreds of bodies of women, who were raped and murdered. He also said that one of the victims was just a 12-year-old school going girl. His statement was recorded before the Magistrate. The Magistrate also ordered to protect the identity of the witness.

Apart from the `masked man', an elderly lady Sujatha Bhat also arrived at Dharmasthala police station and lodged a complaint about her missing daughter. Sujatha Bhat's daughter Ananya Bhat was studying MBBS in Manipal andin 2003, she had gone to Dharmasthala along with her friends. However, she went missing. Sujatha Bhat approached both Belthangadi and Dharmasthala police, where she did not get any support.

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In her complaint, Sujatha Bhat said that she had gone to Kolkata on official work when her daughter disappeared, but when she approached police in Dharmasthala, she was assaulted. Now, a fresh FIR has been registered on the basis of Sujatha Bhat at Dharmasthala police station.