Mangaluru (Karnataka): The identity of the Dharmasthala ‘Masked Man’, the anonymous complainant who claimed to have information on multiple murders, rapes and burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades, has now been revealed. The man has been identified as CN Chinnayya following his arrest by authorities after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) allegedly found gaping holes in his claims.

According to media reports, Chinnayya, a resident of Mandya and occasionally called Chenna, had been placed under the Witness Protection Act. During this period, he was often seen masking his face in public, earning him the moniker ‘Masked Man’.

However, officials said the arrest was made after inconsistencies were found in the statements and documents provided. The SIT is continuing its probe into the matter. The complainant-witness was taken to a hospital for medical examination after long hours of questioning.

The complainant-witness, a former sanitation worker, has claimed that he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014, and that he was forced to bury a number of bodies, including those of women and minors, in Dharmasthala.

He had alleged that some of the bodies showed signs of sexual assault. He has also given a statement before a magistrate in this regard.

As part of the probe, the SIT had been conducting excavations at multiple locations identified by the complainant-witness in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains were found at two sites so far.

(with inputs from PTI)