Dharmasthala mass burial case: Exhumation continues for second day, nothing found so far, says DGP

MANGALURU: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged mass burial in the Dharmasthala forest, took up exhumation for the second day on Wednesday near the Nethravathi bathing ghat at the second, third, fourth and fifth places identified by the anonymous complainant.

The team chose to employ manual labour for digging at the sites, unlike on Tuesday when a mini excavator was used, as the sites are inside a forest area. The workers were directed to dig the pits 8 feet deep and 15 feet wide.

In a startling claim, the anonymous complainant told the SIT that a now retired police officer was also involved in the alleged mass burials. Following this, the SIT has requested a list of police officers who worked at the Dharmasthala police outpost since 1995.

On Tuesday, the SIT had found a PAN card, a debit card and a red blouse during exhumation at the first site. The police are now tracking the identities of those people.

Meanwhile, the SIT head, DGP Pronab Mohanty visited the fourth exhumation site on Wednesday. He arrived from Bengaluru in the afternoon. Speaking to media persons later, he said, “The investigation has just started and is ongoing. So far, no human remains have been found”.