Exclusive: Dharmasthala SIT keen on fresh exhumation operation at Bangle Gudde

Bengaluru

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala mass burial, reports of unnatural deaths, and missing cases is seriously considering carrying out fresh exhumation operations at Bangle Gudde in Dharmasthala village of Dakshina Kannada district. According to sources, the SIT believes the area cannot be left unchecked and requires further detailed examination.

During a search operation conducted at the hillock in September 2025, the SIT found seven to eight skulls and nearly 1,000 bones. The search was launched after blrpost.com reported the presence of a large number of human skeletal remains at Bangle Gudde, prompting the investigative agency to take up a field-level verification.

The SIT had earlier stumbled upon skulls during a mahajar procedure involving activist Vittal Gowda. Gowda had allegedly brought a human skull from the site and handed it over to complainant-accused C N Chinnayya, who in turn presented it as evidence before the Belthangady court.

Chinnayya placed the skull as evidence of a victim of violence and recorded his statement in court under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in July. However, he later made a volte-face, claiming that his initial statements were untrue. The SIT, which was formed on July 19 to probe his allegations, arrested him on August 23. Subsequently, Chinnayya again recorded a statement under the same section, contradicting his earlier version. He is currently out on bail.

A highly placed source in the Home Department said, “the SIT is very much keen on the exhumation operation at Bangle Gudde. The team is wondering how many more skulls and bones could be discovered if systematic digging is carried out, especially when around 1,000 bones were found on the surface itself.”

The source further said the SIT believes the area cannot simply be left as it is without thorough verification. For this purpose, a fresh exhumation operation is considered necessary. The SIT is seriously contemplating relaunching exhumation activity, similar to what it carried out during the initial phase of the probe between July and August.

During the first operation, conducted at more than 13 locations, the SIT found two sets of human skeletal remains—one at the sixth spot and another at spot 11(A). At location 11(A), human remains were found on the surface.

PIL

It may be noted that Sowjanya’s mother, Kusumavati, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions from the High Court for the SIT to probe the unnatural deaths of 74 human beings. Documents attached to the PIL indicate that the Dharmasthala panchayat buried 74 bodies on the same day they were found dead around the village. 

On Tuesday (February 3, 2026), during the hearing, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty told the court that the State has no objection to registering new First Information Reports (FIRs) whenever necessary. The Chief Justice of the High Court, Vibhu Bakhru, directed Shetty to make a submission on the matter and instructed Kusumavati’s advocate, S Balan, to make the Karnataka government a party to the case.

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