Exhumation underway at fourth site after three yielded nothing
Advocate N Manjunath, who represents the whistleblower in the Dharmasthala mass burial case, has issued two detailed press releases claiming the recovery of key items — including a torn red blouse, a PAN card, and two ATM cards — from one of the excavation sites, even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues the exhumation process in the temple town.
However, SIT sources have denied any such recovery so far.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Manjunath said they had taken note of sources confirming the recovery of a torn red blouse, a Permanent Account Number (PAN) card, and an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card from a depth of approximately 2.5 feet at Site No. 1. “Immediately after this development, the SIT’s subsequent actions deserve commendation,” the statement read.
He further praised the SIT’s decision to excavate the site down to a depth of 10 feet, calling it a sign of “professional commitment” and evidence of their resolve to ensure no piece of evidence, however small, is overlooked.
The release also noted that the recovered items — one PAN card and two ATM cards, with one bearing a male name and another bearing the female name Lakshmi — presented potential leads. “The seriousness and rigour demonstrated by the SIT have given us renewed hope. We continue to place our full faith in their work as they proceed to the remaining sites,” he said.
In a second release, Manjunath, who also represents Sujatha Bhat, mother of medical student Ananya Bhat who went missing in Dharmasthala in 2003, shared specific details allegedly given by the complainant-witness regarding the number of bodies buried at various locations identified for excavation.
According to him, the information suggests: Site No. 1 has 2 bodies, Site No. 2 has 2, Site No. 3 has 2, Sites No. 4 and 5 together have 6, Sites No. 6, 7 and 8 have 8 bodies in total, Site No. 9 has between 6 to 7, Site No. 10 has 3, Site No. 11 has 9, and Site No. 12 has between 4 to 5. Site No. 13 is said to contain the highest number of bodies.
Manjunath further claimed that, according to the complainant-witness, the site with the most bodies is not among the currently marked 13 locations. It is believed to be situated further away and will be taken up once the present round of exhumations is complete.
“For Sujatha Bhat, this process is not merely an investigation; it is a profound journey towards truth and closure for her beloved daughter and for countless other missing persons,” the release stated.
“I will watch out for each and every exhumation. My heart aches for answers, and I have full faith that the SIT’s painstaking work will unearth the truth, no matter how long it takes or how deep they must dig,” Sujatha Bhat said.
However, police sources confirmed that the three sites identified in the alleged mass burial case in Dharmasthala, Karnataka, have yielded no evidence of human remains. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has now begun digging at a fourth location.
