Dharmasthala Crimes: SIT changes digging teams to prevent information leak

Bengaluru 

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala mass burial case has reportedly changed digging teams on the third day of excavation to prevent information leaks to the public and media. Given the niche investigative skills of SIT chief Pronab Mohanty, this move was expected. Sources say Mohanty is clinically probing the case.

A highly placed source on the ground said that after Mohanty suspected a possible leak of information from the site, he decided to juggle the teams. He replaced many local workers with individuals from outside the state, who have no contact with the local public. This has reportedly helped the team, as several specific information leaks were successfully thwarted. Mr. Mohanty is expected to continue employing this tactic until the exhumation of skeletal remains is complete.

While on Wednesday the SIT team reportedly found four skeletal remains, on Thursday they unearthed more. The blrpost.com sources confirmed the exhumation of one additional set of remains. On Tuesday, the SIT discovered an ATM card bearing the name “Lakhmi,” a PAN card in a man’s name, a red torn blouse, and a bag at the first excavation site. Sources also said that although the SIT has maintained it is digging sites in ascending order, it may actually be doing so randomly to keep many guessing in the interest of the investigation.

Also Read | Dharmasthala Crimes: SIT finds fifth skeletal remains in 6th spot, four found on Wednesday

It may be recalled that the complainant filed a complaint at the Dharmasthala Police Station on July 3, alleging he was coerced into burying bodies. An FIR was registered on July 4. Following a legal plea by his counsel, the government set up the SIT. The complainant, who worked for the Dharmasthala Temple Institution as a sanitation worker from 1995 to 2014 across various departments, has alleged a disturbing pattern of mass burials. According to him, many of the deceased were not simply unclaimed or unidentified individuals, but victims of serious crimes—hidden under the guise of the institution’s sanctity. 

Also Read | Dharmasthala Crimes: SIT finds red blouse, ATM card, Pan, bag in first spot

It should be noted that the SIT was constituted by the state government on July 19, following public outcry demanding an investigation into the alleged mass burials.