Another U-Turn In Karnataka Mass Burial Case, Woman Blames YouTuber

Sujata Bhat, an elderly woman in Karnataka, had claimed her daughter went missing in Dharmasthala, a small village in Dakshin Kannada district at the centre of a mass burial controversy. Weeks later, she backtracked and told a YouTuber that her daughter, MBBS student Ananya Bhat, never existed. Now, in another U-turn, she has told NDTV that she was forced to make the false claim by the YouTuber.

"It's true, I have a daughter. The YouTube channel made me say that (false claim) forcibly," she said when asked why she earlier denied having a daughter.

The Dharmasthala "mass burial" case is no stranger to unexpected developments. This is rather the second boomerang in the case since morning, after the arrest of the man who had brought the matter to light.

The controversy erupted last month with a man making an explosive claim about mass burials in the village. CN Chinnayya, alias Chenna, had approached the police, saying he was forced to bury hundreds of bodies, including young women who were sexually assaulted, and asserted he was ready to become a witness if he was given protection.

Earlier known as a 'masked man' who appeared in public only with a mask, his identity was revealed only today, after he was arrested over what the police claimed were false and fabricated claims during his interrogation.

Chenna had earlier recorded his statement with the magistrate, but the Special Investigation Team (SIT) wasn't convinced. During his cross-questioning based on their findings, the SIT found he had been lying. Then they took off his witness protection and arrested him for perjury.

His shocking confession case had led to a political row with the BJP alleging a smear campaign against the state's temples and accusing the state government of trying to defame the temple town. But the party believes that figures like Sujata Bhat and Chenna are mere players at the front, being controlled by someone else from behind.

Speaking to NDTV, Karnataka BJP chief has flagged an urgent need to expose the "anti-Hindutva" conspiracy, while party MLA Bharath Shetty has alleged heavy funding behind pushing false claims, like bodies being found at Dharmasthala.

The government, however, accused the BJP of trying to derive political mileage from the issue and assured action against whoever has broken the law. The Dharmasthala family themselves met the Chief Minister and said that we are doing a good job, said Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.