Bengaluru, July 26 -- In the shadows of Dharmasthala's shrines, where pilgrims come to seek peace, police are now searching for buried secrets far more disturbing than anyone could have imagined. What began as an unsettling confession by a former sanitation worker has now triggered one of the most ambitious forensic investigations in Karnataka's policing history. The site in question now holds the potential to become a forensic minefield according to officials. Over a hundred bodies could be buried at the site, though the final count will depend on what is uncovered during excavation. A senior officer, associated with the special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the Karnataka government to investigate the claims of the worker, said the team is preparing for a meticulous operation. "We are not merely dealing with a criminal case. If the claims are accurate, we are looking at multiple cold cases buried, literally, in layers of soil," the officer said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the investigation. According to a senior officer, one of the first steps would be the creation of a database of potential victims and eventually a DNA database. But, the process is expected to be tough. The SIT is coordinating with local law enforcement to retrieve police records, including FIRs and missing persons reports from the period in question. The fact that Dharmasthala didn't have a police station until 2016, complicates this process. "But, before we get to that, it all depends on whether he (the worker) can point out the locations as he claims. Only then will a database be meaningful. We've been told this area was also used to bury unclaimed bodies, so verification is going to be difficult. We're hoping that details from old missing persons cases and information shared with police helplines, especially in instances where FIRs were not registered, will help us build that database," the officer added. According to investigators, while extracting DNA from remains is possible, finding the match would be tough. But the biggest challenge will be establishing rape and murder (as claimed by the worker) since only skeletal remains will be available. The SIT is exploring the possibility of setting up a specialised forensic lab, staffed with experts in molecular biology and DNA analysis at Dharamsthala. Coordination with national-level laboratories is also being considered, officials said....