Dharmasthala mass burial Case: New witness appears before SIT, claims teen's body buried illegally

Jayan T, who is also a social activist, arrived at the SIT office in Belthangady at around 7 p.m. to lodge a complaint about the teenage girl’s suspicious death that occurred over 15 years ago.

Annadurai alleged that SI Duraisamy took his phone without following due procedure at the scene of the incident and made him sign a complaint stating that his daughter had died under suspicious circumstances. Photo | Express illustration

MANGALURU: At a time when the investigation into the Dharmasthala mass burial case is underway, a new witness appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Belthangady on Saturday evening to file a complaint and submit crucial evidence related to the alleged suspicious death of a teenage girl that occurred more than 15 years ago in Dharmasthala village in Belthangady taluk.

Jayan T, who is also a social activist, arrived at the SIT office in Belthangady at around 7 p.m. to lodge a complaint about the teenage girl’s suspicious death that occurred over 15 years ago.

"I have seen that girl’s body and it was buried without following any legal procedures. I know the spot where her body was buried in Dharmasthala village and I'm a witness to it. I will show the spot to the SIT officials. I do not know whether the girl was murdered but her body was in a decomposed state," he told media persons outside the SIT office.

He said that he is also a relative of Padmalatha, who was allegedly murdered in 1986 in Dharmasthala village, but they did not get justice in the case. "But I have all the faith in the SIT constituted by the state government now and I'm hopeful of a transparent probe. Few more people will come forward to share similar disturbing experiences in the coming days before the SIT. The SIT officials have asked me to come on Monday and I will submit all the details to the SIT on Monday," he said.