Colombo (LNW): The fourth phase of excavations at a site near the Chemmani cemetery in Jaffna has so far uncovered human skeletal remains belonging to 85 individuals, according to official reports. The excavation, which began on July 21, is being carried out under a directive from the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court.
Of the 85 sets of remains, 67 have been exhumed under the supervision of judicial medical authorities. The excavation is scheduled to continue for 15 days, concluding on August 4.
The site is being excavated under the leadership of Senior Professor Raj Somadeva of the University of Kelaniya. The recovered remains and associated items are being catalogued and classified under the supervision of Dr. Sellaiya Pirapavan, a specialist judicial medical officer from Jaffna Hospital. These findings are securely stored at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Anthropology at the University of Jaffna.
At this stage, no forensic dating or chronological analysis of the skeletal remains has been conducted. Authorities have confirmed that such examinations will be carried out in due course.
Human rights advocates and the families of the disappeared have called for justice, emphasizing that the remains appear to have been buried in a manner inconsistent with Hindu funeral traditions, raising serious concerns over possible extrajudicial actions.
Photos By: Ajith Senevirathna
