Exhumation continues in Dharmasthala, police identify holders of PAN, debit cards

MANGALURU: A day after human skeletal remain were found at the sixth marked spot near the Nethravathi bridge in Dharmasthala, the special investigation team (SIT) began exhumation at the seventh and eight points on Friday. In the next two days, the team plans to complete exhumation at all the 13 identified spots were bodies were allegedly buried.

On Thursday, 12 bones, believed to be of a male, were found at the sixth marked spot and have been sent to a forensic lab for analysis. Meanwhile, the SIT has sought information from all police stations regarding missing males. The SIT is also probing whether the individual was buried by the unidentified complainant or by panchayat workers.

In the meantime, the police have also solved the riddle behind the PAN card and debit card that were found at the first site of exhumation. The PAN card belongs to one Suresh who was a resident of Dobbspet in Nelamangala taluk of Bengaluru Rural district. He had died of jaundice on March 7 this year and was buried on their farm in his native village of Lakkur.

The debit card belongs the deceased individual’s mother Siddalakshmamma, who is still alive. The SIT contacted the woman to confirm the details. The police suspect that the PAN debit cards may have been lost during a previous visit.