On the fourth day of exhumation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) found no human remains at the seventh and eighth sites identified by a complainant witness in the Dharmasthala mass burial case.
The SIT team began digging at the seventh site around 11:30 am. Using machinery, they excavated up to six feet deep but no skeletal remains were found. The operation was subsequently halted.
After a lunch break, the team proceeded to the eighth location, which also yielded no evidence of human remains. Despite a decrease in rainfall, both sites, located very close to the river, faced significant water seepage. Workers had to drain accumulated water from the pits before digging could continue, which limited the day’s excavation to just two sites. A total of 20 personnel were involved in Friday’s operation.
So far, skeletal remains have been found at only one of the 8 sites identified by the complainant witness, the sixth site, which was excavated on Thursday, July 31. Excavation is still pending at five remaining locations.
Meanwhile, the SIT has set up a hotline to receive information from the public that could aid the ongoing investigation. It is based at the temporary SIT office located in Kadri Mallikatte, Mangaluru. The SIT can be contacted via phone at 0824-2005301, WhatsApp at 8277986369, or email at sitdps@ksp.gov.in.
No complaints have been received so far, SIT sources told TNM.