In a fresh development in the Dharmasthala case in Karnataka, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has discovered more human bones during an ongoing search operation in the forest. The latest remains were found about 100 feet away from “Point 11,” which had earlier been identified by a sanitation worker as a significant spot. Upon receiving the information, SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama, along with other senior police officers, reached the site deep within the forest and carried out a thorough inspection. The location was marked and the skeletal remains were segregated for further examination. Officials completed the mahazar (official site documentation) procedures and confirmed that the remains would be sent to a forensic lab in Bengaluru for detailed analysis.
Earlier, the SIT had begun inspections based on 13 locations identified by a key witness. Human remains had already been found from the sixth point. However, with this new discovery emerging from an unmarked location, the investigators believe it is necessary to expand the scope of the search further.
In a controversial twist, it has now emerged that the police destroyed several important records that could have had major implications for the case. Documents related to unnatural deaths in Dharmasthala between 2000 and 2015 were reportedly disposed of. In response to a Right to Information (RTI) request, officials claimed that the files were destroyed in accordance with legal provisions for discarding outdated case files. However, the revelation has sparked concerns, especially since 485 unnatural deaths had been registered in Dharmasthala during that period. When FIR numbers and death certificates related to these deaths were requested, it was officially stated that the records had already been destroyed.
