No skeletal remains were found on Friday at two sites in Dharmasthala identified by an anonymous complainant-witness as mass burial sites, police said.
A day after skeletal remains were recovered from the sixth of 15 locations marked by the complainant, excavation was carried out under tight security at the seventh and eighth spots, located near the Nethravathi riverbank.
However, the forensic and police teams reportedly found no human remains or signs of burial activity at these sites.
According to police, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified its operations, deploying additional personnel, excavation workers, and heavy machinery to dig at the identified locations.
Further verification of other sites is expected in the coming days. So far, skeletal remains have been recovered from only one location'"the sixth'"which is currently undergoing forensic examination.
Forensic experts in Mangaluru noted that determining the cause of death or confirming any criminal intent would require a complete or near-complete human skeleton. Partial remains or isolated bones may not provide sufficient evidence for legal conclusions, police said.
Meanwhile, officials from the Dharmasthala Grama Panchayat clarified that over 200 unclaimed or unidentified bodies have been buried in various parts of the village since 1995. -- PTI
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