Waterlogging halts excavation at Dharmasthala ‘mass grave’ search site

Excavation efforts in Dharmasthala led by SIT faced delays on Tuesday after water seepage turned the dig site into a flooded pit. This location, the 13th identified by an anonymous informant, showed no skeletal remains even after 14 feet of digging.

Mangaluru: The search for alleged mass graves in Dharmasthala hit a fresh obstacle on Tuesday as water seepage halted digging operations at a site marked by an anonymous informer.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has been probing sensational allegations that hundreds of bodies were buried in the forests along the Netravati river, had zeroed in on the 13th location indicated by the informant. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans yielded no skeletal traces, but officials nonetheless excavated 14 feet of soil at two spots using Hitachi earthmovers.

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The excavation, considered one of the most significant in the ongoing probe, yielded only plastic waste, plant roots, and other debris, no human remains. As digging progressed, a mix of soil and water began flooding the pit, creating a water trap. Both the large and small Hitachi machines were forced to stop as the site became unworkable.

SIT personnel have since installed motor pumps to drain the pit, aiming to pump out the collected water into the adjacent Netravati river. However, with one pump malfunctioning, preparations are underway to bring in additional pumping equipment to resume work.

Despite the setback, SIT investigator SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama and his team remain stationed at the site. The team continues to trust the anonymous complainant’s detailed account, which has guided their excavation at multiple locations in the Dharmasthala area.

The SIT is determined to exhaust all leads. Once water is cleared from the current dig site, excavation is expected to resume on Wednesday. With several more points marked for digging, the investigation’s outcome remains uncertain, yet public curiosity continues to grow as the high-profile search unfolds.