The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is intensifying its probe into the alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala, a temple town in Karnataka, India. The investigation was launched following a complaint by a former sanitation worker who claimed he was forced to bury the bodies of numerous women and children between 1995 and 2015 under the instruction of his supervisors. The complainant alleges that many of these women were victims of sexual abuse.
The Karnataka government established the SIT on July 19, 2025, to investigate the serious allegations. The SIT is headed by Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police (DGP) of the Internal Security Division and Cyber Command. The team includes DIG M N Anucheth, DCP Soumyalatha S.K., and SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama. To further strengthen the investigation, 20 additional police officers from Udupi, Uttara Kannada, and Chikkamagaluru districts have been inducted into the SIT.
The SIT has begun its work by scrutinizing records, revisiting suspicious death reports, and interviewing residents. Senior SIT officials, including DIG M N Anucheth and DySP Jitendra Kumar Dayama, have taken over the case files from the Dakshina Kannada district police. The team is also reviewing land survey records and other relevant documents linked to the alleged burial sites. The SIT's office has been set up in Mangaluru at the PWD Inspection Bungalow (IB) in Mallikatte, Kadri.
On July 26, 2025, the complainant was questioned for over five hours by investigating officer Jitendra Kumar Dayama. The complainant’s statement was recorded, and he has been provided protection under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018. Sources within the SIT have indicated that questioning the complainant is the initial step, which will determine the subsequent course of action. The local police had sought permission from the court to conduct brain mapping and narco analysis of the complainant, for which his consent is required.
Adding a layer of complexity to the case, the Dharmasthala Temple Trust has obtained a gag order from the Bengaluru City Civil Sessions Court, prohibiting the publication of any "defamatory" content about the Trust. The order mandates the removal of 8,842 links from the internet and targets 390 media entities, including mainstream media houses, YouTubers, and social media forums. This gag order has triggered strong reactions, with many viewing it as an overreach that stifles press freedom. Protests have erupted across Karnataka, and a YouTube channel named Third Eye moved the Supreme Court seeking intervention; however, the Supreme Court declined to entertain the petition, suggesting the High Court be approached first.
To ensure the safety of the complainant and facilitate an impartial probe, the SIT has been stationed in Belthangady. The team has commenced formal procedures, including collecting preliminary information related to the charges, and statements from those involved are expected to be recorded.
