BENGALURU: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case has reportedly found at least seven human skulls at Banglegudde near Dharmasthala. Two of the skulls were found at one place on the ground in the reserve forest, giving rise to suspicion of occult practice or black magic as “some bones were stuck inside them”.
“These are old skulls,” claimed sources on condition of anonymity. The other five skulls were also said to be found on the ground with some skeletal remains, suggesting unnatural death report (UDR) cases.
One of them has reportedly been identified as his identity card was found at the site. The card is said to belong to 70-year-old UB Ayyappa of T Shettigeri village, Ponnampet taluk, Kodagu district; he had reportedly gone missing seven years ago.
“To determine the identity of the remaining skulls and time since death, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) may have to conduct an isotope analysis -- an investigative wing of forensic anthropology used for geolocation, origin, travel history and time since death in unidentified human remains cases,” said sources.
“The two skulls that were found at one spot around a tree are not fresh. Prima facie, they look old. One of them is also broken. Some clay pots were also found near them, further lending credence to some form of tantrik practice, which is not known to this part of Karnataka.
It is possible that someone from outside the district brought them here for occult practice or were planted at one place to mislead the police. Mysteriously, all of them were found above the ground,” said sources.
They added that the SIT found the skulls and skeletal remains incidentally, after combing the area from where the first exhibit, a human skull, was taken by the complainant to the police. He had claimed that between 1998 and 2014, as a former sanitation worker, he had buried over 100 bodies of women and minors, many of whom bore signs of sexual assault.
The skeletal remains have been handed over to the police. “The SIT will not investigate them unless they find a link to their case of alleged mass burial. These will be sent to FSL for examination,”said sources.
Banglegudde acquired its name from an over 100-year old colonial house, now in ruins. “A Britisher had built it and lived there. It has been lying abandoned for years and is now in ruins. The entire area where skulls and skeletal remains are found is inside the reserve forest whihc is infested with leeches and snakes,” the sources added.