Activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi and Girish Mattennavar, who have been campaigning under the Justice for Sowjanya banner, on Sunday, August 17, released documents alleging irregularities in the disposal of unidentified bodies in Dharmasthala in 2010.
A burial note allegedly issued by the Dharmasthala police outpost on April 7, 2010, along with a payment receipt from the Dharmasthala Gram Panchayat, records the disposal of two bodies, one registered as a murder case and another under Unnatural Death Report (UDR).
The burial note states that the Dharmasthala police outpost instructed the Panchayat to dispose of an unidentified female body. The case was registered under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence). Activists point out that the notice was issued by the outpost SHO, a post held by officers below the rank of Circle Inspector, and does not carry the seal or acknowledgement of the CPI Belthangady, who they say should have authorised disposal in such cases.
The notice further records that the female body was found in Sharavathi Lodge, located within the Dharmasthala temple premises. Activists allege that despite mandatory identification requirements for guests, the police did not establish the victim’s identity.
The documents also show contradictions: while the police note recommended burning the body, the Panchayat receipt records a payment for burial. Activists allege that this discrepancy points to irregularities in procedure.
They also highlight that both the unidentified woman’s body, registered as a murder case, and an unidentified man’s body, recorded under Section 174 (police to inquire and report on suicide) CrPC, were disposed of on the same day, April 7, 2010, one day after the case was registered. According to activists, unidentified bodies are required to be kept in the mortuary for at least three days before disposal, raising questions about why the bodies were hurriedly buried.
Based on these records, the activists have demanded that the SIT probing the Dharmasthala mass burial allegations summon Dharmasthala police, Belthangady police, Panchayat officials, and medical staff connected to the case. They have also sought to question the temple management and the Sharavathi Lodge staff.
Mahesh Shetty and Girish Mattennavar also said they are among a large group of people supporting the complainant in the ongoing mass burial case. They added that they were ready to face any inquiry into the source of funds used to back the complainant. “Some said there was foreign funding for this campaign to malign the Dharmasthala temple. We are ready for any inquiry by SIT or any other agency,” Girish told reporters.