Unveiling Shadows: Karnataka's Mass Burial Probe

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Karnataka has initiated site inspections in Dharmasthala to probe alleged mass burial sites, as per police reports.

The SIT, joined by land records officials, local police, and district authorities, conducted inspections at various locations, including the Nethravati river's bathing ghats. A preliminary site inspection at the riverbank was led by Kadaba Tahsildar Prabhakara Khajure.

Although no remains were uncovered, the SIT will conduct a more detailed investigation involving forensic experts. This inspection follows local and media attention to allegations of mass murder and sexual assault over the past two decades.

The investigation arose from claims by a former sanitation worker, coerced into burials from 1995 to 2014, some indicating signs of sexual violence. SIT, led by Pronab Mohanty, includes top police officials tasked with reviewing missing persons records and suspicious death reports.

(With inputs from agencies.)