A disturbing revelation has emerged from the temple town of Dharmasthala in Karnataka, where a man claiming to be a former sanitation worker has alleged that he was forced to bury or burn the bodies of hundreds of rape and murder victims over nearly two decades. The man, whose identity is being withheld for security reasons, filed a formal complaint with Dharmasthala police on July 3, stating that between 1995 and 2014, he disposed of the remains of men, women, and particularly young girls who, he alleges, were brutally killed&mdash;often after being sexually assaulted.
In his complaint, he recalled instances of burying schoolgirls still dressed in uniforms and carrying their school bags. He claimed he was threatened with death if he ever revealed the nature of his work. &ldquo;I buried a young girl once, in full uniform, with a schoolbag. I was told to keep my mouth shut or face the same fate,&rdquo; he stated during initial questioning. According to him, these acts took place regularly and were conducted in isolated areas, always under threat and close surveillance.
Following his complaint, the Dharmasthala police filed an FIR on July 4 under Section 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (murder) and initiated an investigation. Authorities have begun examining the veracity of his claims and are in the process of seeking court approval to exhume graves in areas identified by the whistleblower. He has reportedly provided documents, photographs of skeletal remains, and possible GPS coordinates of some burial sites. Police sources say they are also reviewing old missing persons records to find possible matches with the timeline and details mentioned in the complaint.
The complainant has requested protection under India&rsquo;s Witness Protection Scheme, citing a credible threat to his life from individuals he claims were involved in the cover-up. He also alleged that one of his predecessors, who raised similar concerns years ago, mysteriously disappeared and was never seen again. This, he says, compelled him to remain silent for years, until now.
The revelations have triggered widespread shock and outrage in Karnataka. Women&rsquo;s rights activists, human rights groups, and local residents have called for an impartial probe and demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT). They are also urging the state government to conduct a forensic audit of all unregistered deaths and missing persons from the region in the last 30 years.
So far, no officials or administrators from Dharmasthala have publicly responded to the allegations. Police maintain that all leads will be investigated thoroughly and in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, forensic experts are expected to be deployed to assist with the evidence collection and possible exhumations, pending judicial approval.
This developing case could potentially unearth one of the largest and most sinister cover-ups in recent Indian history. If proven true, the allegations not only point to a long-standing failure of law enforcement but also to a deeply embedded culture of fear and silence that may have enabled such horrific crimes to go unnoticed and unpunished for years.

Karnataka Man Alleges Mass Rape-Murder Burials

Whistleblower claims he buried schoolgirls and others over 20 years; FIR filed, probe underway

Karnataka Man Alleges Mass Rape-Murder Burials

Whistleblower claims he buried schoolgirls and others over 20 years; FIR filed, probe underway

July 7, 2025 | 12:13 IST