Karnataka temple town gripped by skeleton rumours hysteria.
Allegations from a former sanitation worker, claiming he was forced to secretly bury bodies of assault and murder victims in Dharmasthala, have sparked widespread concern. His revelations have ignited public outrage, leading to calls for reopening unsolved cases from the past. The accusations have fueled campaigns demanding further investigation into historical crimes, with many questioning the possible involvement of local authorities. The situation has stirred significant attention, prompting authorities to reconsider the handling of past criminal cases in the region.
Skeletons in the Sacred Grove: Dharmasthala Grapples with Dark Rumours Unearthed
What was once a place known primarily for faith, tradition, and spiritual pilgrimage is now gripped by a wave of hysteria, rumour, and suspicion — all sparked by chilling allegations from an unlikely source.
Since Tuesday, July 29, police officers have been combing through dense forests along the banks of the Netravati River, aided by a handful of workers, a small earthmover, and one In a place where sacred rituals once ruled the rhythm of daily life, shovels now dig into the moist earth in search of long-buried secrets. Allegedly, skeletons lie beneath.
The man at the centre of this storm is no high-profile figure. He once cleaned the streets and drains of Dharmasthala. Today, his voice echoes with claims that, between 1995 and 2014, he was ordered to bury bodies — victims, he says, of assaults and murders — in secluded spots scattered around the forest. He alleges these acts were carried out under the instruction of an influential local family long considered untouchable by law or public scrutiny.
Whether it is the truth or merely a grotesque fabrication, his claims have sent shockwaves through the town and beyond. For many residents, it has reopened old wounds and long-whispered suspicions — of disappearances brushed aside, crimes unanswered, and justice deferred under the weight of tradition and influence.
Among the many shaken by the claims is Sujatha Bhat, a woman who believes one of the bodies allegedly buried in those woods could be her missing daughter’s. Sujatha, who had once publicly approached the Dharmasthala police on July 15 to submit a formal complaint, has since receded from the public eye. Her lawyers cited health concerns, explaining her inability to comment further, though her anguish speaks volumes even in her absence.
which has to be verified by DNA testing.” The officer’s tone was measured but underlined the gravity of the path they now tread — one where myth, memory, and crime seem to intersect.
On the ground, the situation remains tense and emotionally charged. While some demand a thorough excavation of the alleged burial sites and reopening of past cases, others remain sceptical.
Yet, in a town long governed by a delicate balance of religious reverence and feudal deference, such reassurances ring hollow to many. Whispers of ‘powerful forces’ exerting undue influence have floated through Dharmasthala for decades — unspoken truths passed from one hushed conversation to another.
Today, those murmurs have become impossible to ignore. As each shovelful of soil is turned, the town watches, caught between disbelief and dread. Some hope that this is all just a wild tale spun by a man with a vendetta. Others fear the truth may be far more harrowing.
Regardless of the outcome, one thing is certain: Dharmasthala will never quite be the same again. The sanctity of silence — once considered sacred — has been broken. And what lies beneath, whether literal bones or metaphorical ones, demands to be faced.
Faith may have once defined Dharmasthala. But now, truth — however painful — must lead the way.