SIT Excavates Dharmasthala Site No. 13, Finds No Human Remains
The NHRC team, which is in Dharmasthala, also visited the spot and looked into the operation
Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged “secret burials” in Dharmasthala carried out excavation at spot No. 13 on Ajikuri Road near the bathing ghat on Tuesday, but found no human remains in the portion dug so far. The remaining portion of spot no 13 is likely to be dug tomorrow.
The operation began in the morning after technicians used the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to scan the area. The survey, which lasted about 25 minutes, covered not only the marked spot but also nearby areas. SIT head Pronab Mohanty supervised the exercise.
The NHRC team, which is in Dharmasthala, also visited the spot and looked into the operation.
Following the survey, excavation began with the help of both a mini excavator and a regular earthmover. Officials dug a pit measuring about 18 feet deep, 8 feet wide and 20 feet long. Water seeping into the pit was pumped out, and inflatable balloon lights were used to continue work into the night. The excavated portion was filled with help of earthmover.
Only a portion of the site has been excavated so far, with the remaining portion scheduled for digging on Wednesday. Dense vegetation was cleared by the local panchayat before the operation to enable a clearer scan.
Spot No. 13 had remained untouched during the earlier phases of the search, which began on July 29. The SIT has so far completed excavation at 16 points, with human remains reportedly recovered at two locations — Spot No. 6 and beneath a tree in the open near Spot No. 11.
The SIT was constituted by the state government following a July 3 complaint from a former sanitation worker who alleged that several bodies had been secretly buried in Dharmasthala village.