BENGALURU, June 20 -- The investigation into alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala has entered a forensic stage, with Karnataka's Special Investigation Team (SIT) comparing DNA extracted from skeletal remains recovered in a reserve forest with blood samples collected from relatives of 17 people reported missing, according to officers familiar with the inquiry.

The exercise follows the recovery of seven human skulls and other skeletal remains during searches in the Banglegudde reserve forest in 2025. Officers associated with the investigation said blood samples from relatives of eight missing persons are already undergoing comparison with DNA extracted from the recovered remains. The SIT has also initiated the process of obtaining samples ...