Karnataka asks SIT to expedite Dharmasthala probe
Karnataka home minister G. Parameshwara said several technical procedures remain pending, including DNA and chemical analyses that are essential to the inquiry
Bengaluru: Karnataka home minister G. Parameshwara said on Monday that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged series of murders, sexual assaults, and secret burials in Dharmasthala has been asked to conclude its investigation at the earliest and submit a comprehensive report.
Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara clarified that while the state government wants the investigation completed soon, no specific deadline has been imposed on the SIT. “We have asked for the final report to be submitted soon, but we have not defined how soon. We have told them to complete the work quickly. We cannot direct them on the investigation; we have only asked them to finish it soon,” he said.
The minister said several technical procedures remain pending, including DNA and chemical analyses that are essential to the inquiry. “Things are in progress. Certain analyses have to be done, like DNA and chemical analysis. These require time, so we cannot force them. There are procedures. We have sought the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report soon, taking it on priority,” Parameshwara said.
The Dharmasthala case gained attention after a man named C.N. Chinnaiah, later arrested for perjury, claimed that over the past two decades, several bodies -- some of the women allegedly subjected to sexual assault -- had been buried in the temple town. His allegations suggested the possible involvement of individuals linked to the temple administration, sparking a political and public outcry.
Following his claims, the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team to examine the allegations. Acting on Chinnaiah’s directions, the SIT conducted extensive searches along forested areas near the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where skeletal remains were found at two separate sites.
In a recent development, investigators recovered additional skeletal remains from the Banglegudde forest area near the Netravathi bathing ghat, deepening the mystery surrounding the case.
Officials said forensic experts are now analysing the newly recovered remains, and results from DNA testing are expected to be key to establishing whether they are linked to any missing persons.
While the SIT continues its work, the home minister reiterated that the state government is not interfering with the investigation but expects it to move swiftly. The Dharmasthala probe, he said, remains one of the most sensitive and closely monitored cases in recent months.
(Inputs from PTI)
