Protests across state as SIT continues exhumation at Point 13 in Dharmasthala

BENGALURU, MANGALURU: Protests broke out in several parts of the state on Wednesday against the vilification of the pilgrim site of Dharmasthala even as the special investigation team (SIT) continued exhumation at Point 13 with no clues yet into the alleged mass burial.

Protests were held in Bagalkot, Belagavi, Ballari, Chikkodi, Chikkamagalur, Chamarajanagar, Davanagere, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Tumakuru and Yadgir against alleged attempts to besmirch the name of Dharmasthala. Devotees and Hindu groups took to the streets and alleged that some conspirators were trying to defame the pilgrim spot. They also demanded action against controversial YouTubers.

Meanwhile, the SIT conducted exhumation in the expanded area of Point 13 on Wednesday, which was not dug up on Tuesday. The anonymous complaniant insisted that the digging be carried out in an enlarged area, but after digging for five hours with two excavators, no human remains were found.

Earlier in the day, the complainant was insisting on using the drone-mounted ground penetrating radar at all the 30 where he claimed that bodies had been buried. He stressed that the radar be used at the remaining 14 spots identified.

Meanwhile, the SIT is considering approaching the court for a brain mapping test on the anonymous complainant after noticing discrepancies in his statements, documents collected so far and the statements of the other previous sanitation workers. The SIT also found discrepancies in the locations, time and dates given by the complainant.

In a related development, two more witnesses have approached the SIT regarding the alleged mass burials and offering to provide leads. While one of them, Purandar, claimed that the anonymous complainant was the one who buried the bodies, Tukaram claimed that the complainant and the one who buried the bodied are different people.

Two new witnesses have come forward to provide information to the SIT.

Purandar also claimed that the SIT will not find anything at Points 1 and 13 and added that he was a witness to the burials. The SIT officials informed them that they will be summoned if and when the need arises.