Unveiling the Truth: Dharmasthala Case Investigation Intensifies

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar expressed optimism on Friday that the alleged conspiracy to sully Dharmasthala's reputation would be unveiled through the current investigation. He noted that severe consequences await if the claims concerning the Dharmasthala 'mass burial' case prove false.

The state government has commissioned a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine accusations of mass murder, rape, and burials around Dharmasthala over the past two decades. A confidential former sanitation worker claims he was coerced to manage bodies showing signs of assault from 1995 to 2014, submitting a statement to a magistrate.

The SIT's excavation efforts along the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala have already uncovered skeletal remains at two sites. Shivakumar reassured that action would adhere to legal procedures and anticipated the Home Minister divulging truths in an impending Assembly debate. The government may face criticism from opposition legislators for its investigative approach on the issue.

(With inputs from agencies.)