Dharmasthala Crimes: Locals saw Bheema perform burials, now willing to help SIT to find skeletons

Dharmasthala 

About six locals in Dharmasthala are willing to assist the Special Investigation Team (SIT) without concealing their identities during the exhumation operation which is underway near Sthana Ghatta in Dharmasthala village. These locals claim they witnessed Bheema burying the bodies.

A highly placed source in the Home Ministry, speaking to blrpost.com, said, “if these locals wish to assist the team, they can be accommodated. The State government is focused on uncovering more skeletal remains. The Home Ministry strongly believes there may be more remains, as several bones and three skulls have already been found in the first seven days of the SIT operation.”

A source close to the locals said, “these men saw Bheema burying the dead bodies. Although Bheema believed he had performed the burials in secret, this was no secret in the small village, where everyone knows everyone. They say Bheema has pointed out several locations, but there are a few more where he buried bodies. These additional spots could increase the number of findings, and the SIT should consider their help.”

Sources in the ministry say the SIT discovered four skeletal remains on the second day, one complete skeleton with a skull at the sixth spot on the third day, and 50–60 bones, a full skull, and another fragmented skull at the 14th spot on the sixth day of the operation. These remains are believed to belong to at least three individuals.

On Wednesday, the SIT may conduct further surveys, particularly at spot 13, where piles of soil have been deposited. The SIT has also registered an FIR at the local police station regarding the findings and will be investigating new complaints. The SIT was constituted on July 19, following a complaint filed at Dharmasthala police station about a mass grave. The complainant alleged he was coerced into burying the bodies of men and women by certain influential individuals associated with the Dharmasthala Temple Administration.

Donate for fearless journalism