• By Raju Kumar
  • Sat, 23 Aug 2025 11:08 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Dharmasthala Mystery: In a big twist to the Dharmasthala mystery, Karnataka Police SIT arrested the complainant, who had alleged there were multiple murders, rapes and burials at a nearby religious site in Dakshina Kannada over a period of the past two decades. He was arrested on Saturday by the SIT formed to investigate his claims. 

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The complainant was questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and its chief, Pranab Mohanty, before being arrested. His arrest came after inconsistencies were found in his statements and documents provided. The investigation officials interrogated the complainant, whose name is not revealed, on Friday till late hours. He was taken to a hospital for medical examination after long hours of questioning. 

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The officials said the probe will continue till the truth comes out. The SIT is continuing its probe into the matter.
 

Who Is The Complainant?

The name of the complainant was not revealed by the probing officials. However, it was told by the police that he is a prime witness and a former sanitation worker. He has claimed that he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014. The complainant said he was forced to bury a number of bodies, including those of women and minors, in Dharmasthala. He had alleged that some of the bodies showed signs of sexual assault. He has also given a statement before a magistrate in this regard.

As part of the probe, the SIT had been conducting excavations at multiple locations identified by the complainant-witness in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains were found at two sites so far.

BJP Sees Political Conspiracy In Dharmasthala Case

The Karnataka Opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party, alleged that there was a political conspiracy to defame the religious site, Dharmasthala. Karnataka BJP MLA G Janardhana Reddy attacked Congress MP from Tamil Nadu's Thiruvallur, Sasikanth Senthil, accusing him of being the "mastermind" behind the "propaganda" being spread against the temple town of Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada. He challenged Senthil, a former IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, to face an inquiry if he had no connection with the "mass burial" propaganda being spread. 

(With PTI inputs)