The Karnataka government has confirmed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will decide whether to halt excavations at suspected burial sites in the Dharmasthala mass grave case, unfolding in Mangaluru district.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara told reporters the digging &ldquo;will end&rdquo; and that the SIT will assess when to stop, especially if guided information proves false. Excavations at 17 locations have so far yielded no evidence. &ldquo;We acted on the complainant&rsquo;s claims; if we hadn&rsquo;t, critics would question the government. The next step will follow the SIT report,&rdquo; he said.
On the BJP criticism, Parameshwara noted the party&rsquo;s sudden interest, adding that their views will be considered. Allegations surrounding the missing &ldquo;medical student&rdquo; Ananya Bhat were also addressed, with Parameshwara clarifying neither he nor CM Siddaramaiah could take a call without SIT input.
The masked whistleblower at the centre of the probe alleges he buried about 100 bodies, mostly women, in forests, riverbanks, and roadsides, with some showing signs of sexual violence. He claims to have disposed of up to 80 bodies at one site alone and insists his accounts are truthful despite changing landscapes.
The man also linked his past to the 2012 Sowjanya murder case, alleging he discovered the victim&rsquo;s body after a nighttime call. He says he aims to expose the truth, not profit from the dead, and eventually return to his family.
[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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K’taka govt says SIT will decide on halting Dharmasthala mass grave excavation

SIT to Decide Fate of Dharmasthala Dig

K’taka govt says SIT will decide on halting Dharmasthala mass grave excavation

August 15, 2025 | 14:58 IST