The so-called Dharmasthala mass burial case took a fresh twist after 45-year-old masked man Chinnaiah, arrested for perjury, reportedly told the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that the skeletal remains he produced in the Belthangady court were given to him by Vittala Gowda, the uncle of Soujanya, the college girl who was raped and murdered near Dharmasthala in October 2012.
SIT widens probe, questions key figures
Following this statement, the SIT interrogated Vittala Gowda on Saturday and later accompanied him to a spot in Dharmasthala where he claimed the remains were found. According to SIT sources, a few skulls were seen at the location but were not seized. The team has also been questioning activists Girish Mattannavar, T. Jayanth, and YouTuber Abhishek regarding their alleged role in producing the remains before the court.
Conflicting accounts and past allegations surface
Investigators questioned Jayanth for the fourth consecutive day, probing his earlier claim that he witnessed a police officer secretly burying the body of a 15-year-old girl between 2002 and 2003. Mattannavar, too, faced questioning for the third straight day over his involvement in the case. The SIT maintains that Chinnaiah was arrested on August 23 after forensic reports revealed that the skeletal remains he produced were of a male, contradicting his claims.
Who is Vittal Gowda?
Vittal Gowda, the maternal uncle of Sowjanya, the 17-year-old college student who was brutally raped and murdered near Dharmasthala in October 2012, has once again come under the scanner. For years, activists and locals have alleged that influential hands shielded the real culprits. Now, fresh revelations have placed Vittal Gowda directly at the center of the storm.
As per Daijiworld, in a sensational press meet, social activist Snehamayi Krishna openly named Vittal Gowda as the man behind the crime. “The person who raped and murdered Sowjanya on October 9, 2012, is none other than her maternal uncle. He must undergo a narco-analysis test to bring out the truth,” he declared. Krishna also claimed to have gathered fresh documentary evidence, which he will submit to the Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police.
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has corroborated Gowda’s link to the ongoing burial probe. During questioning, Vittal Gowda admitted he had picked up a skull from the Banglagudde forest near the Netravati bathing ghat in Dharmasthala and handed it over to Chinnaiah, the man arrested for producing skeletal remains in court. SIT officials even conducted a spot mahazar at the site late on Saturday, raising further doubts about Gowda’s role.
Kerala link surfaces; YouTuber Manaf booked for hurting religious sentiments
As per News 18, the Karnataka police have launched a probe into Manaf, a lorry owner and YouTuber from Kerala, after he uploaded videos amplifying discredited allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala. The Udupi Town Police have booked him under Section 295A of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly attempting to hurt Hindu religious sentiments and running a propaganda campaign against temples.
Propaganda through YouTube videos
According to police sources, Manaf circulated videos based on the claims of C.N. Chinnaiah, a witness who alleged mass graves in the temple town. Some of the clips even showed Chinnaiah exhuming a skull from the forest. SIT officials confirmed that Manaf’s content was used to sensationalize the allegations and spread suspicion around Dharmasthala. He was questioned for two consecutive days by the SIT, during which he denied any malicious intent but admitted to uploading videos after Chinnaiah’s complaint.
Network of YouTubers under watch
Manaf is not the only one in the dock. The SIT has also questioned YouTuber Abhishek and activist-complainant T. Jayanth in connection with the same allegations. Adding further intrigue, the SIT confirmed that Vittal Gowda, the uncle of Sowjanya, the college student raped and murdered in 2012, was present when Chinnaiah dug out skeletal remains. With multiple outsiders and digital propagandists now under scrutiny, investigators say the Kerala link and YouTube-driven narratives have played a major role in fueling suspicion and controversy around the revered Dharmasthala temple.
YouTuber exposes paid propaganda against Dharmasthala
The Dharmasthala mass burial controversy has taken a dramatic twist after YouTuber Sumanth Gowda (Golden Kannadiga) revealed that he was offered money by YouTuber Abhishek, who is under scrutiny by SIT, to produce negative videos targeting the holy town. Gowda alleged that several influencers were approached and funding discussions took place in his presence, suggesting a deliberate and organized campaign to malign Dharmasthala’s spiritual image. His disclosure strengthens suspicions that the conspiracy was not organic but driven by vested interests.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) had earlier exposed complainant CN Chinnayya’s claims as fabricated, leading to his arrest for perjury. Yet, attempts to keep the narrative alive continue, with activists and YouTubers pushing inflammatory content. With Gowda’s testimony now pointing to funded propaganda, investigators are being urged to trace the money trail and identify those orchestrating the smear campaign against one of Karnataka’s most revered institutions.
Social media machinery behind propaganda
The Dharmasthala conspiracy was not an isolated act but a well-coordinated digital assault. Reports reveal that over 308 troll pages and 55 content creators were systematically deployed to amplify and make viral the anti-Dharmasthala videos of MD Sameer. This network of troll handles and influencers worked in tandem to flood social media with fake narratives and malicious content, ensuring that lies reached lakhs within hours. What began as a baseless claim was deliberately weaponized through digital propaganda, exposing the scale of the conspiracy to defame a sacred Hindu institution.
Girish Mattannavar; the alleged mastermind
At the center of the Dharmasthala conspiracy lies activist Girish Mattannavar, accused of being the mastermind who orchestrated the false narrative of mass burials. Investigators allege that Mattannavar not only backed complainant Chinnaiah but also mobilized troll pages, social media networks, and YouTubers to amplify fabricated claims against Dharmasthala. By giving undue support to discredited testimonies and fueling online propaganda, Mattannavar is believed to have played a pivotal role in engineering a malicious campaign aimed at tarnishing a revered temple town’s reputation. His actions, now under SIT scrutiny, raise serious questions about the deliberate manufacturing of fake evidence, coordinated misinformation, and targeted attacks on religious institutions.
Despite publicly claiming that he had no links with MD Sameer, activist Girish Mattannavar was caught red-handed during a surprise police raid at Sameer’s house, exposing the depth of his involvement. This shocking discovery has shattered his earlier denials and revealed how both men were allegedly working hand-in-glove to spread the Dharmasthala mass burial falsehood.
The entire narrative spun around Dharmasthala was not accidental; it was a well-orchestrated attempt to brainwash people against a sacred Hindu institution. Sadly, many were misled by the anti-Hindu propaganda pushed by Mohammad Sameer, Manaf, and their network of trolls and YouTubers, even daring to stand against the temple itself. But truth has a way of prevailing. With the fake narrative now exposed piece by piece, the lies have begun to collapse under their own weight. Today, people clearly see through the conspiracy, and Dharmasthala’s legacy of faith and service shines stronger than ever. In the end, Hindus must stand united with their temple, ensuring that such malicious plots can never shake our dharmic roots again.
