Dharmasthala ’mass burial’ case: Complainant arrested by SIT

Dharmasthala ’mass burial’ case: Complainant arrested by SIT

Mangalore Today News Network

Dharmasthala, Aug 23, 2025: The complainant in the sensational alleged ’mass burial’ case in Karnataka’s Dharmasthala has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the matter.

A woman, claiming to be the masked man’s first wife, had earlier issued statements against him.

"He is not a good person. He used to harass me and my children. His statements related to the Dharmasthala burial case are not true. He must have been issuing such statements for money", she told the press.

Speaking to the media, on Thursday, she had said, "I married him in 1999. We were together for seven years. He used to assault me, physically. We have a son and a daughter. He was a sweeper in Dharmasthala and used to clean toilets".

Raju from Maddur taluk, a friend of the complainant-witness, had said on Wednesday, August 21, that the allegations made by the masked man were false.

The complainant’s statement on burying hundreds of dead bodies at Dharmasthala is far from the truth, Raju had said.

He is said to have worked alongside the complainant for four years as a civic worker (sweeper) at Dharmasthala 10 years ago.

“The allegations levelled by the complainant are far from truth. It is not right to level such charges, defaming a pilgrimage town and its custodian,” Raju, a resident of Vaidyanathapura in the taluk told reporters.

He said he was inquired by the Special Investigation Team in connection with the Dharmasthala case for more than half an hour.

“I have provided them all the information I know. I and the complainant worked near the bathing ghat of Dharmasthala, Bahubali Betta and also near the temple. We were provided food and good salary. We were neighbours there and have seen many decomposed bodies of men and women. Some were hanging on the trees. We used to bring down the bodies from the trees. But, we did not bury any of the bodies. They were shifted through ambulances,” he said.

“I don’t know why he has made such allegations. He may levelled such charges for money’s sake. Nobody told us to bury any of the unidentified bodies. We have not buried any corpse without police permission,” Raju said.