Man Arrested After Alleging Mass Rapes, Secret Burials in Indian Temple Town
A man who alleged that hundreds of women were raped and secretly buried in a prominent Hindu temple town in southern India has been arrested for perjury, according to police.
The unnamed man—whose face has been consistently concealed under a black hood and mask—had previously claimed he was forced to bury the bodies of rape and murder victims during his time as a temple cleaner in Dharmasthala, Karnataka.
His shocking allegations—filed in July—triggered national outrage, a political firestorm, and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the claims.
“The skull and skeletal remains he produced are not from the burial sites he claimed,” a SIT official told the BBC, stating the man’s arrest on Saturday was based on false testimony.
The former cleaner claimed to have worked at the centuries-old Manjunatha Swamy temple between 1995 and 2014. In his statement, he described in chilling detail five specific cases of rape and murder, alleging that temple authorities and staff were responsible. Some victims, he said, were minors.
He even presented a human skull to a magistrate as evidence, claiming he had exhumed it from a burial site. But investigators now say his evidence did not match the locations or claims he made.
Despite skepticism from temple officials, including Veerendra Heggade—a member of India’s parliament and chief temple administrator—the SIT began digging at 13 locations. Two sites yielded a skull and nearly 100 bone fragments, which are now undergoing forensic testing.
“We welcome the SIT investigation and are fully cooperating,” said Heggade, who called the allegations “impossible” and emphasized that truth must prevail.
The case has also sparked fierce political debate, with the opposition BJP accusing the ruling Congress of targeting a sacred Hindu institution. Karnataka’s Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the investigation, saying:
“If nothing is found, Dharmasthala’s stature will only grow. If something emerges, justice must be served.”
The case remains under investigation. Forensic results on the recovered remains are pending.
