
Mangaluru, July 29: The much‑anticipated exhumation in the Dharmasthala mass burial case began on Tuesday, with investigators digging up sites pinpointed by a key witness along the Netravathi River near the Dharmasthala bathing ghat.
Despite heavy rains, 7–8 labourers commenced digging in the secluded forest patch believed to conceal multiple graves. The masked complainant witness was escorted to the scene by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which included Internal Security Division SP Jithendra Kumar Dayama, Puttur AC Stella Varghese, and Belthangady Tahsildar Prithvi Sanikam. Forensic experts and legal officers monitored the process, while every step was video‑recorded.
Ahead of the operation, DIG M N Anucheth chaired a closed‑door meeting at the SIT office in Belthangady to finalise the strategy. On Monday, the witness had identified 13 locations near the bathing ghat; each spot was geo‑tagged and cordoned off with barrier tape and serial numbers.
Security was intense, with armed police, Garuda Force, Special Action Force, and KSRP personnel sealing the area to prevent unauthorised access as the exhumation got underway.

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