The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged Dharmasthala mass grave case has begun preparations to excavate the 13th suspected burial site in the temple town of Mangaluru district. For the first time in the probe, drone-mounted Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology is being deployed to detect possible human remains.
Located near the Kindi Dam and the Netravathi River, the site has been cleared of vegetation ahead of the GPR survey. Authorities say tonnes of sand have been dumped there over the years, making excavation challenging. Heavy police security has been deployed due to tensions in the area following earlier clashes.
The operation follows claims by an unidentified whistleblower, who alleged that he was forced to bury the bodies of over a dozen women and girls, many of whom were sexually assaulted before being murdered. His statement, recorded before a Mangaluru district court in July, alleged that the bodies bore clear signs of violent sexual abuse and were buried without clothing.
Members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are also on the ground, gathering documents from the SIT and local police, visiting the Gram Panchayat office, and inspecting multiple burial sites. The NHRC team will remain in Dharmasthala for four days, covering locations across Belthangady taluk.
SIT Chief and DGP Pronab Mohanty is expected to oversee the excavation, which will mark the conclusion of the probe&rsquo;s first phase. Earlier digs yielded minimal evidence, although items like a torn red blouse, a PAN card belonging to a woman named Lakshmi, and a skull were reportedly recovered.
On August 7, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed the recovery of a male skeleton and other bones, now undergoing forensic testing. The alleged mass grave revelations have triggered widespread shock and renewed calls for a court-monitored SIT probe, with activists and a retired Supreme Court judge demanding judicial oversight.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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SIT, NHRC intensify probe into alleged Dharmasthala murders with drone-based excavation

Dharmasthala SIT Uses Drone GPR for 13th Site

SIT, NHRC intensify probe into alleged Dharmasthala murders with drone-based excavation

August 12, 2025 | 21:07 IST