A former sanitation worker has come forward with explosive allegations of a long-running cover-up of murders in Karnataka’s Dharmasthala village, claiming he was forced to bury and cremate “hundreds” of victims—many of them young women—during his years on the job.
The man, whose identity remains protected for security reasons, submitted a letter to the police this week detailing the alleged crimes, which he says took place between 1995 and 2014 when he worked in Dharmasthala.
Released by advocates Ojaswi Gowda and Sachin Deshpande, the letter has triggered the registration of a case by local police under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to the failure to report information to a public servant.
According to the letter, the worker claims he directly witnessed several murders “carried out in a cruel manner,” and that he was repeatedly threatened and assaulted when he tried to resist orders to dispose of the bodies.
In one instance in 1998, he alleges his supervisor beat him and threatened to kill him after he refused to bury victims and suggested reporting the matter to authorities.
“I was forced to burn some of the bodies using diesel, others were buried in different corners of the village. Many were young women—visibly assaulted and strangled. I was haunted by their faces. I buried them without final rites. The guilt won’t let me rest,” he wrote.
Driven by fear and trauma, the man says he fled the area in 2014 after a girl in his family was allegedly sexually harassed by individuals linked to the powerful figures he claims orchestrated the killings.
He says he has lived in hiding in a neighboring state since, burdened by guilt and remorse.
Now, more than a decade later, the former worker is demanding a full investigation, protection for his family, and exhumation of the alleged burial sites scattered across Dharmasthala.
He has offered to reveal the names of those involved once he is assured of protection under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
The letter paints a grim picture of systematic silencing, with the worker alleging the involvement of “influential people” behind the crimes.
While no specific names have been made public yet, the claims have put local authorities under pressure to act decisively.
Police officials confirmed that steps are being taken to verify the allegations, and that court permission would be sought to exhume remains at the locations mentioned in the letter.
“This is a very serious matter. We will ensure a thorough and impartial investigation,” said a senior officer from the Dharmasthala police.
If proven true, the revelations could unearth one of the most disturbing criminal conspiracies in recent memory—one that went unreported for decades, hidden under the weight of fear, silence, and power.
