Dharmasthala whistleblower retracts ‘mass burial’ claims

Dharmasthala: The swirling controversy over alleged mass burials in Karnataka’s temple town of Dharmasthala has taken yet another dramatic turn, as the masked whistleblower at the centre of the storm has retracted his earlier claims, telling the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that he was coerced into fabricating his sensational testimony.

According to SIT sources, the man disclosed that he had been living in Tamil Nadu since 2014. In 2023, three individuals allegedly brought him back to Dharmasthala and pressured him into issuing explosive statements about burying “hundreds of bodies.” “They gave me a shroud and instructed me to claim that I had buried women and girls in large numbers. They even told me how to present myself in court,” he reportedly told investigators.

The revelation has raised fresh questions—not only about the credibility of the whistleblower, but also about the identity and motives of the three men who allegedly scripted his testimony. SIT chief Pranav Mohanty is understood to have conveyed the names to Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara, though the investigation remains ongoing.

Earlier, the whistleblower had alleged that 90% of the victims were women and minors, and claimed to have buried over 100 bodies in forests, riverbanks, and remote roadsides. In one of the most disturbing assertions, he identified a site referred to as “Spot 13,” where he claimed 70–80 burials had taken place under the instructions of temple authorities.

However, forensic examinations have since unearthed skeletal remains from only a handful of sites. None of the remains of women or minors described by the whistleblower have been recovered. A shroud he submitted for testing was traced to a male, further weakening his earlier claims. This stark mismatch between testimony and evidence has placed investigators in a bind—whether to treat him as a manipulated pawn or a key conspirator in a wider attempt to discredit Dharmasthala’s revered institutions.

The whistleblower, while retracting parts of his earlier story, has maintained that he is still speaking “the truth,” but insists environmental changes over the years have erased many burial sites. He has urged SIT to summon others who allegedly worked alongside him.

Meanwhile, in Belthangady, an unresolved crime has resurfaced. The family of siblings Narayana Saphalya and Yumna—hacked to death in their home in September 2012—has petitioned the SIT for a fresh probe.

Their children, Ganesh and Bharati, submitted documents showing they had lodged a police complaint in 2013, but with little response. SIT officials have assured that the case will be referred to the local police for further investigation.

As the SIT grapples with both the contested burial claims and the revived twin murder case, Dharmasthala continues to remain at the centre of Karnataka’s most closely watched and politically sensitive investigations.