The high-profile Dharmasthala case witnessed a dramatic twist after the masked man, who earlier claimed to have buried hundreds of bodies around the sacred temple town, admitted before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that his statement was false and made under coercion.
The man, who had stunned the state by producing a human skull and alleging mass burials near Dharmasthala, revealed that he had been pressured by a group of three individuals to surrender before the SIT with the skeleton. “They gave me the skull and instructed me on what to say. I merely followed their directions out of fear,” the masked complainant told investigators during a detailed interrogation.
Admission of false testimony
According to SIT sources, the masked man confessed that he fabricated claims about mass burials. “Three people told me what to say in front of the police. I gave a false statement under their pressure,” he admitted. The man also claimed that he initially lacked the courage to retract his allegations, but gained confidence after activist Sujata Bhatt filed a counter-complaint exposing inconsistencies in the case.
The SIT has since recorded a complete video statement of the masked man, which is expected to play a decisive role in unearthing the larger conspiracy. His admission has put a question mark on the credibility of the initial allegations that shook the state government and religious circles.
Skeleton origin unclear
The confession has also raised new doubts about the origin of the skull presented before the SIT. Initially, the complainant made contradictory claims, naming locations like Banglegudda, Boliyaru, Kalleri and Kadu as the possible source of the remains. However, forensic reports confirmed that the skull belonged to a male, further contradicting his earlier claim of burying “hundreds of women’s bodies.”
Out of the 16 sites identified by the masked man, skeletal remains were found in only two, neither of which matched the claims of mass female burials. This mismatch has led SIT investigators to suspect that a well-orchestrated conspiracy may have been at play, designed to damage the sanctity of Dharmasthala.
Political uproar over conspiracy angle
The explosive confession has set off a fierce political storm. Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, accusing it of negligence and political motives in hastily forming the SIT. “The prestige of Dharmasthala, a holy place revered across the country, has been damaged by irresponsible handling of this case. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must clarify who pressured the government to constitute the SIT,” Vijayendra demanded.
He further alleged that Left-leaning organisations and vested interest groups could be behind the conspiracy. “The role of complainants and those directing them should be probed. When Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar himself said this is a conspiracy, why is the government silent now? Devotees are worried, and the government has failed to protect the sanctity of Dharmasthala,” he said.
Demand for Home Minister’s accountability
Vijayendra, joined by other BJP leaders including B.L. Santosh, also questioned the silence of Home Minister G. Parameshwara. “Our leaders visited Dharmasthala, had darshan of Lord Manjunatha Swamy, and met Dr. Veerendra Heggade. We assured him that we will stand by him. But why has the government allowed such propaganda to tarnish the temple’s reputation? The Home Minister owes an answer to the people of Karnataka,” he added.
Deputy CM Shivakumar earlier suggested that the case bore signs of a larger conspiracy, and Congress general secretary Dinesh Gundu Rao had also admitted the possibility of Left involvement. “If they acknowledge a conspiracy, why has no probe been ordered into the people behind it?” Vijayendra asked.
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