Vanished Without a Trace: Dharmasthala’s Erased Death Records and the Fight for Justice

Vanished Without a Trace – In a revelation that has sent shockwaves across Karnataka and beyond, police officials in Belthangady taluk have admitted to destroying 15 years’ worth of records related to unidentified deaths between 2000 and 2015. This admission, made in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query, comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala, a temple town now at the centre of one of India’s most disturbing criminal probes.

The implications of this record erasure are profound. It not only undermines the integrity of the investigation but also raises serious questions about institutional accountability, transparency, and the rights of families who may have spent years searching for missing loved ones.

The Dharmasthala Allegations: A Grim Timeline

The case began with a whistleblower, a former sanitation worker, who claimed he had been coerced into burying hundreds of bodies over a 16-year period. These were not ordinary burials. According to his testimony, many of the deceased were victims of sexual assault, murder, and systemic abuse. He described burying women with acid-burnt faces, schoolgirls in uniform, and homeless individuals discarded like refuse.

His allegations triggered a massive investigation, with the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) tasked with excavating suspected burial sites. Skeletal remains and personal items such as ID cards and ATM cards have already been recovered. But just as the probe gained momentum, the Belthangady police dropped a bombshell: the very records that could corroborate these claims had been destroyed.

What Was Destroyed and Why?

The RTI response revealed that postmortem reports, wall posters, notices, and photographs used to identify deceased individuals had been disposed of under routine administrative orders. Officials cited Permanent Order Nos. 762/759 and 874, Record Destruction Procedure No. 400 of the Karnataka Financial Code, and a 2013 government notification as justification.

However, legal experts argue that criminal case records especially those involving unnatural deaths should never be destroyed. These documents are considered sacrosanct in investigations involving missing persons, unidentified bodies, and potential foul play.

Legal and Ethical Fallout

The destruction of these records has sparked outrage among civil society groups, legal professionals, and human rights advocates. Critics argue that:

• Police stations lack the authority to destroy criminal case records without judicial oversight.
• Unnatural death records are crucial for investigations and must be preserved indefinitely.
• Digitization protocols were ignored, despite Dakshina Kannada being one of Karnataka’s most tech-forward districts.

The Neeti Team, a local advocacy group that filed the RTI, expressed deep concern over the implications for justice and transparency. Their statement emphasized that families of missing persons deserve answers—not bureaucratic excuses.

The Missing Link: How the Erased Records Impact the Probe

The whistleblower’s claims span from 1998 to 2014 almost perfectly overlapping with the period for which records were destroyed. This raises troubling questions:

• Were these records deliberately erased to obstruct the investigation?
• Could they have contained evidence of systemic abuse or cover-ups?
• How many missing persons cases were quietly closed or ignored during this time?

Without these records, investigators face an uphill battle. The absence of documentation makes it harder to verify burial claims, identify victims, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Institutional Silence and Political Shadows

The Dharmasthala case is not just about missing records, it’s about a culture of silence. The whistleblower alleges that powerful individuals in the town orchestrated the burials and threatened him into compliance. His testimony has already led to the exhumation of several sites, but many more remain untouched.

Political figures have also been drawn into the controversy. HD Revanna, father of convicted MP Prajwal Revanna, has evaded questions about his son’s alleged involvement in related crimes. The SIT’s head, Pronab Mohanty, was recently shortlisted for central deputation, raising concerns about continuity in leadership.

Forensic Challenges and the Search for Truth

The SIT has faced logistical hurdles in its excavation efforts. Rain, dense forest terrain, and the passage of time have complicated the search. While some skeletal remains have been found, others remain elusive. Personal items recovered at dig sites such as PAN cards and schoolbags offer potential leads, but without matching records, identification is nearly impossible.

Forensic experts stress the importance of DNA testing, dental records, and historical data to confirm identities. But with 15 years of death records gone, the process becomes exponentially harder.

The Human Cost: Families Left in the Dark

Behind every missing record is a grieving family. One such voice is Sujatha Bhat, a retired CBI stenographer whose daughter Ananya vanished during a college trip to Dharmasthala in 2003. Sujatha alleges that police refused to file a missing person report and later abducted and assaulted her when she persisted.

She now believes her daughter may be among the bodies buried by the whistleblower. Her story is emblematic of the pain endured by countless families pain that has been compounded by institutional neglect and record erasure.

What Needs to Change

The Dharmasthala case has exposed glaring gaps in India’s criminal justice system. To prevent future tragedies, experts recommend:

• Mandatory digitization of all death and missing persons records
• Judicial oversight before any record destruction
• Whistleblower protection laws with real teeth
• Independent audits of police record-keeping practices
• Public access to anonymized data for accountability

Vanished Without a Trace: A Fight for Memory and Justice

The destruction of 15 years of unidentified death records in Dharmasthala is not just a bureaucratic lapse, it’s a moral failure. It erases the memory of those who died without names, families, or justice. It undermines the credibility of institutions meant to protect the vulnerable. And it forces us to ask: who benefits when the dead are forgotten?

As the SIT continues its painstaking work, the nation watches. The truth may be buried deep, but with persistence, compassion, and accountability, it can still be unearthed.

Also read – Beneath the Pilgrim’s Path: Dharmasthala Unearthed Horror and the Whistleblower Who Broke the Silence