Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case: CM Siddaramaih finally breaks silence

Dharmasthala mass burial case: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made a significant statement regarding the ongoing Dharmasthala case, which has recently gained renewed attention due to a whistleblower’s allegations of mass burials. Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case: CM Siddaramaih finally breaks silence.

CM Siddaramaiah stated that the state government will take a call on setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged mass rapes, murders, and secret burials in Dharmasthala based on the report submitted by the police. He emphasized that the government will act “as per the law.”

He asserted that his government is not under any pressure regarding the demand for an SIT, and even if attempts are made to pressure them, they will not “budge” and will act according to legal procedures.

The CM acknowledged that the person who had gone into hiding for 10 years has made a statement before the police under Section 164 (of CrPC, now Section 183 of BNSS). He indicated that the police report, based on this statement, is expected in a day or two, and the government’s decision on an SIT will follow.

Siddaramaiah’s comments came in response to a delegation of advocates, led by retired Justice Gopala Gowda, who had petitioned him earlier, seeking an SIT probe into the Dharmasthala killings.

Context of the Dharmasthala Case:

The “Dharmasthala case” refers to a series of highly disturbing allegations. While the Sowjanya rape and murder case (from 2012, where the sole accused was acquitted in 2023) has been a prominent and long-standing issue demanding justice, the recent developments concern a former sanitation worker’s confession that he was allegedly forced to bury over a hundred bodies of women and children, many showing signs of sexual assault, in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014.

This new whistleblower’s testimony, including the production of skeletal remains, has reignited demands from various quarters, including the Karnataka State Commission for Women and several advocate groups, for a high-level, independent investigation, specifically an SIT.

The call for an SIT is also influenced by the dissatisfaction surrounding the previous investigation into the Sowjanya case. In essence, CM Siddaramaiah’s reaction on July 18, 2025, indicates that the government is awaiting the police report on the whistleblower’s new allegations before deciding on the formation of an SIT.

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