Complainant in Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case Records Statement Before Court

BM TEAM

The complainant in the Dharmasthala mass burial case appeared before the Belthangady court on Friday to formally record his statement. Masked for anonymity, he spoke before the Principal Civil Judge and JMFC under Section 183 of the BNSS (equivalent to Section 164 of the CrPC) .

Represented by advocates Ojaswi Gowda and Sachin Deshpande, the complainant had requested legal counsel’s presence during the recording. However, the court declined this request, conducting the session without them . The advocates emphasized that their client is illiterate and unfamiliar with court procedures, underlining the importance of legal support .

The complainant, a former sanitation worker from Dharmasthala, claims he was threatened into clandestinely burying more than 100 bodies—some allegedly victims of rape and murder—between 1995 and 2014 . His initial complaint, filed with Dakshina Kannada police and registered at Dharmasthala police station on July 4 under Section 211(a) of BNSS, sparked this investigation .

As part of his statement, the complainant presented skeletal remains he had secretly exhumed, which were seized by police in the presence of advocates and Panchayat witnesses . He has also offered to identify the suspected burial sites and name the perpetrators, but only under the protection of law .

In response, authorities granted him protection under Karnataka’s Witness Protection Scheme, 2018. A formal communication was sent to his legal team on the evening of July 10, and the complainant expressed his gratitude to the district judiciary, police, and state government for their prompt action .

To verify the severe allegations, forensic experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory are preparing to investigate and inspect the burial/ grave sites, pending judicial approval . A senior officer described the statement as “deeply disturbing,” noting that exhumation and forensic analysis will determine its authenticity .

The case has also drawn attention at the state level. Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed the ongoing investigation, emphasizing that the worker’s direct testimony is essential before any further legal steps are taken .