Mangalore: In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the suspected mass burial case in Dharmasthala, forensic experts on Thursday recovered human skeletal remains from a sixth site near the cremation ground. The discovery has given a new direction to the probe being led by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

According to official sources, the recovered remains—believed to be a human skull and bones—were found during excavation work in the presence of forensic experts and senior SIT officials. Initial forensic examination has confirmed that the bones belong to a male. However, the final confirmation regarding the age, identity, and cause of death will only be possible after a detailed analysis by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).

Experts indicate that a DNA test will be conducted on the remains to establish identity, and efforts are underway to determine whether the body was part of a lawful burial or an illegal, suspicious one. “We are investigating whether this was a formal burial of an unidentified or unclaimed body or whether it suggests criminal concealment,” an SIT officer stated. The findings will be cross-verified with previous death and burial records maintained by the local administration.

Excavation at the sixth site is progressing slowly and with extreme caution, as officials suspect more evidence may be present. The SIT is being assisted by forensic anthropologists, crime scene analysts, and legal experts to ensure proper documentation and evidence handling.

So far, skeletal remains have been recovered from six different locations in and around the cremation ground, raising serious questions about the nature and legality of the burials. The case has triggered public outcry and demands for transparency, with civil rights activists and opposition parties calling for an impartial probe into what some allege could be a cover-up of custodial or extrajudicial deaths.

The Karnataka government had formed an SIT after initial reports emerged suggesting multiple unmarked graves near the cremation site in Dharmasthala. The investigation continues under close supervision of higher authorities.