SIT Arrests Sanitation Worker Who Alleged Multiple Burials In Dharmasthala

A former sanitation worker in Karnataka's Dharmathala, who had alleged that he was forced to bury bodies including those of women and minors, was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday, PTI reported citing official sources. The complainant had claimed that  he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014 when he was forced to bury the bodies. 

He had alleged that some of the bodies showed signs of sexual assault. Officials arrested the person citing inconsistencies in his statement and the SIT team led by Pranab Mohanty have questioned him in the matter. The complainant-witness was taken to a hospital for medical examination after long hours of questioning.

Apart from probing the whistleblower, SIT is also carrying out excavations at the sights mentioned by him. Multiple locations including forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains were found at two sites so far.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara had recently told the Assembly that action can be taken under the law against the complainant-witness if the SIT finds his allegations to be false.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said that the government has maintained that action will be taken against those who are wrong. "Investigation is going on. Our government, Home Minister (G Parameshwara) and Chief Minister, had told the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting and in the Assembly that action will be taken against those who have done wrong. We are not in favour of anyone. We are in favour of justice. We don't want politics to be played in religion," he said.

Police had registered a case in the matter on July 4, a day after the complaint was filed. 

With PTI inputs