Police in India have detained a man who claimed he was forced to bury bodies of raped and murdered women. His allegations caused chaos in Dharmasthala, Karnataka. The town, known for its ancient temple, draws countless pilgrims. A political uproar led the government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the claims.
An unnamed SIT official revealed that the man was arrested for perjury. In July, the middle-aged man filed a police complaint, appearing in public in a black outfit with a hood and mask, and claimed to have worked at the temple from 1995 to 2014. He alleged involvement in disposing of bodies of raped and murdered girls, some minors. He provided details of five incidents, blaming the temple administration and staff without naming individuals, claims dismissed as false by the temple chief.
During a court appearance, he presented a human skull from his bag as evidence, allegedly from a recent retrieval. However, the SIT stated the remains weren’t from the alleged burial sites.
The arrest follows weeks of investigations by the SIT, which uncovered human remains at two of the identified spots. It’s unclear who they belong to. The controversy focused attention on the Heggade family, temple administrators. Veerendra Heggade, a parliament member and Padma Vibhushan awardee, welcomed the investigation, expressing confidence in India’s judiciary and investigation agencies.
The claims sparked a political feud, discussed in the state assembly, with BJP members calling it a smear campaign against a Hindu site. Congress’s Home Minister G Parameshwara insisted on uncovering the truth, suggesting that Dharmasthala could gain strength if cleared, with justice served if wrongdoing is confirmed.