Opinion: Dharmasthala mass burial claims — What lies beneath?
The Dharmasthala case is a litmus test not only for the scientific capacity of India’s forensic institutions, but for our collective ability to confront uncomfortable truths
By Kattamreddy Ananth Rupesh
The recent revelation by a former sanitation worker in Dharmasthala, Karnataka, alleging the burial and burning of hundreds of unidentified bodies over nearly two decades, has stirred both public outrage and grim fascination. The allegation that such acts were carried out under the instruction of influential local people has prompted the State government to take action, with a Special Investigation Team now constituted to look into the matter.
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While media attention intensifies and speculations run wild on social media platforms, it is critical that we, as a nation governed by the rule of law, allow science, process, and transparency to guide the response.
Controlling the Narrative
The initial days of such high-profile cases often determine the trajectory of public belief and institutional credibility. In the age of viral misinformation, the Karnataka government must urgently establish a centralised, factual communication mechanism.
A designated official or team must regularly provide only necessary verified updates, especially to counter false claims that can sow communal tension or erode public confidence. Transparent dissemination of information is not just a public relations exercise; it is an imperative in preserving trust in the democratic machinery.
The whistleblower is already under state protection, an essential step given the gravity of his claims. Equally crucial, however, is a thorough evaluation of his mental and psychological state. It would be premature to either endorse or dismiss his allegations without a careful forensic psychiatric assessment. The credibility of any whistleblower must be established with both compassion and scientific rigour. If his account proves to be truthful, he warrants not only protection but also institutional trust.
The SIT must also explore the possibility — were these deaths the result of epidemics, accidents, or natural causes. If so, were they documented in official registers?
Conversely, if his narrative is found to be the result of delusion, confusion, or exaggeration, the state must exercise caution in deploying public resources based solely on uncorroborated testimony. This approach is not to discredit the individual, but to ensure that any further investigative efforts proceed on a foundation of verifiable fact.
Forensic Challenges
Assuming the claim has sufficient prima facie merit, the forensic pathway is complex, delicate, and time-bound. Indian law mandates that any exhumation occur under the supervision of an executive or judicial magistrate, and not unilaterally by the police. Sites identified for grave recovery must be secured immediately with physical barriers and constant surveillance to prevent tampering or destruction of potential evidence.
What unfolds next should ideally mirror international best practices in post-conflict or mass disaster forensic science. Advanced remote sensing methods like ground-penetrating radar and satellite imaging can aid in detecting subsurface anomalies suggestive of burials (GPR, LiDAR, Drone surveillance). Once excavation begins, a multidisciplinary forensic team comprising anthropologists, pathologists, archaeologists, odontologists, and forensic geneticists must lead the work. Each bone recovered is a fragment of a human life, and must be treated with due dignity and evidentiary precision.
The examination of skeletal remains helps forensic anthropologists and odontologists address key questions about an individual’s identity and cause of death. By analysing bones, specialists can estimate the person’s sex, age, height, and time since death with reasonable accuracy. While soft tissue injuries are no longer assessable due to skeletonisation, bones can still reveal signs of trauma such as fractures or weapon marks, providing valuable clues about how the person may have died.
In some cases, skeletal findings can also suggest a natural cause of death. The crystal ball of forensic science — DNA — can be extracted from bones, especially mitochondrial DNA, which is more likely to survive in degraded remains and assist in identification. This detailed examination ensures that even when only skeletal remains are available, science can speak for the dead with clarity and precision.
However, victim identification will pose significant challenges. With claims potentially dating back to the late 1990s, DNA degradation is likely. Long bones and molars may still yield results, but without matching samples from living relatives, identification remains uncertain. Facial reconstruction using computer and AI tools may help generate images of the exhumed individuals, but the most viable strategy is a public appeal encouraging families of the missing to come forward for DNA sampling.
This effort must be supported by a proactive review of local and state-level missing persons registers. Police stations in and around Dharmasthala, as well as nearby districts, will need to lead this initiative as both a civic responsibility and a humanitarian duty.
Legal Obligations
It is essential to remember that the potential confirmation of mass graves raises not just a legal concern, but also a profound moral question. Whether the result of alleged foul play, ritualistic motives, or even as part of undocumented disaster-related cremations, such acts, if substantiated, require a truth-and-reconciliation approach, not merely punitive or procedural responses.
At this early stage, the SIT must also explore the possibility of alternative explanations. Were these deaths the result of epidemics, accidents, or unclaimed natural deaths over time? If so, were they documented in official registers? The records of the local panchayat, hospital death logs, and cremation grounds will have to be triangulated with the whistleblower’s account. Any gaps must be viewed not just as bureaucratic lapses, but as indicators of a possible systemic malaise.
A Moment for Institutional Courage
The Dharmasthala case is a litmus test not only for the scientific capacity of India’s forensic institutions, but for our collective ability to confront uncomfortable truths with courage and clarity.
If the allegations are proven true, it will require sustained political will, forensic expertise, and moral clarity to bring justice to the unnamed and the unseen. And if the claims are ultimately proven unfounded, the process must still stand as a demonstration of how a society committed to truth responds with seriousness, science, and above all, humanity.
(The author is Assistant Professor of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Ongole, Andhra Pradesh)
