Dharmasthala Case: What are the key challenges the SIT may face?

The Karnataka government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe a series of unnatural deaths and disappearances reported in and around Dharmasthala over the past two decades. But there are speculations that the SIT may face significant challenges during their investigation.

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At the heart of the renewed investigation is a man who claims to have secretly buried hundreds of unidentified bodies while working in sanitation services in Dharmasthala years ago. His explosive confession has triggered a chain of efforts to locate and verify the burial sites, most of which date back to 20 years ago, making physical evidence difficult to recover.

The first major hurdle for the SIT is to identify the exact locations the man referred to. Much of the land has changed over the years, and the areas mentioned may no longer remain vacant or accessible. Even if skeletal remains like skulls or bone fragments are discovered, DNA testing would be required to identify the victims.

This leads to another problem, matching DNA samples requires cooperation from families of the deceased. Unless families come forward voluntarily to share samples and information, the investigation may stall. In the absence of such cooperation, the SIT will be forced to actively trace missing persons' families, many of whom may have lost hope or moved on without closure.

Adding to the complexity are allegations that many missing complaints were never formally registered, particularly those involving young women and college students. Investigators must now compile an accurate database of missing persons from police stations like Belthangady and surrounding areas, including unregistered disappearances.