Dharmasthala Case Breakthrough: Human Remains Found at Spot 6 – Major Forensic Discovery Shocks Investigators
Major breakthrough in Dharmasthala missing case as human remains found at Spot 6. Forensics confirm discovery could solve Karnataka’s biggest mystery
Human remains have been found at Dharmasthala on the third day of excavation, according to Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials investigating the alleged mass burials case. The remains were found on Thursday, July 31, at Spot 6 near the Nethravathi river — one of the 13 spots where the whistleblower claimed he had buried many bodies between 1995 and 2014. It is unclear what parts of the skeletal remains have been found.
This is the first major breakthrough since a former sanitation worker made sensational claims about having buried many bodies in Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district.
The remains were found on the third day after the SIT began to excavate at the locations pointed out by the former sanitation worker on July 29. The work on the excavation has also been proceeding slowly, as the continuous rains in the area is said to be affecting the operations.
Over the next few days, the SIT is expected to continue excavation at other sites he has identified.
Most of the spots identified by the complainant are located close to the banks of the Nethravathi river. The SIT had dug around six feet deep into the first spot, which is right on the riverbank. The second, third and fourth spots are located close to each other and the excavations conducted on these sites on July 30 were said to be only around three to four feet deep.
The whistleblower, a former sanitation worker at the Dharmasthala temple, has alleged that over 20 years, he was repeatedly ordered by his superiors to bury several bodies, many of them of women and girls who appeared to have been sexually assaulted.
On July 28, he led the SIT to the alleged burial sites near the snana ghatta, the bathing ghat at the Nethravathi, which flows close to the temple. Officials from the revenue, forest and other departments accompanied the SIT as the whistleblower pointed out each location and described the circumstances in which the bodies were buried.
Allegations of mass burials at Dharmasthala first came to light towards the end of June, when advocates representing the man, who has remained anonymous for his safety, held a press conference detailing the man’s claims.
The man filed a complaint with the Dharmasthala police station through his lawyers on July 3, and the police registered an FIR the next day. The Belthangady court recorded his statement under Section 183 of the BNSS on July 11, after which he agreed to lead investigators to the alleged burial sites. The SIT is now tasked with confirming the identities of the recovered remains and determining whether more bodies are buried at the other marked locations.
In a significant development in the mysterious and high-profile Dharmasthala missing persons case, investigators have confirmed the discovery of human remains at Spot 6, marking what experts are calling a breakthrough moment in a probe that has gripped Karnataka and beyond. The skeletal fragments—believed to be crucial forensic evidence—were unearthed during an intense, multi-agency search operation involving advanced technology, drone scans, and on-ground sweeps. Authorities say this could be the biggest turning point in a case that has remained unsolved for months.
This article breaks down the timeline, the evidence found, the suspect theory, and what’s next in this evolving investigation.
Dharmasthala, a renowned spiritual and pilgrimage hub in Karnataka, is typically known for peace, devotion, and history. But for the past several months, the temple town has been in the headlines for an entirely different reason—a chilling disappearance that baffled locals and law enforcement alike.
What started as a missing person’s complaint soon escalated into a suspected abduction and homicide investigation after inconsistencies emerged in the statements of close associates of the victim. Despite several leads and multiple search operations, no concrete evidence had surfaced—until now.
On Tuesday morning, forensic teams working in tandem with local authorities and crime scene investigators recovered human skeletal remains near a remote woodland area, now codenamed Spot 6. This site, located roughly 6.8 kilometers from Dharmasthala temple town, had not previously been the focus of the probe.
Key discoveries include:
Partial human skull
Femur bone and spinal fragments
Scraps of burnt fabric and plastic, possibly used in disposal
Rusted metal wire and broken ceramic, indicating concealment effort
Dislodged soil layers suggesting recent burial activity
Initial forensic analysis confirmed the bones were human, with an age estimate matching that of the missing person. DNA confirmation is pending, but police sources say the indicators “strongly support” the identity theory.
The search efforts, revitalized after public pressure and new intelligence, took a strategic turn last week. Investigators began deploying geospatial imaging technology and drone reconnaissance after analyzing location data from mobile towers, GPS metadata, and social media check-ins by persons of interest.
A suspect currently in custody reportedly cracked under interrogation and gave a vague description of a forested “6th point”, where “something was left behind.” The team dispatched to Spot 6 included members of:
Karnataka State Police’s Homicide Unit
Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL)
Canine units specially trained in human scent detection
Anthropologists and forensic pathologists from Mangalore University
Within hours, the remains were found buried under a shallow mound, covered with loose gravel and foliage.
The Dharmasthala case has been riddled with suspicion, red herrings, and apparent conspiracies. The victim, a 28-year-old man associated with a local NGO, was last seen leaving a community event near the temple. While friends reported him missing within 24 hours, inconsistencies in statements led the police to believe the disappearance was not voluntary.
Over the past 3 months, police questioned over 42 individuals, arrested 3 suspects, and retrieved more than 70 hours of CCTV footage. Despite this, no major clue had been found until now. In one bizarre twist, a suspect tried to mislead officers by planting false evidence near a local stream—delaying the real investigation by weeks.
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