Excavation Of Mannar Mass Grave To Begin

Aug 31, 2015

The Mannar Magistrate has ordered to excavate the suspected mass grave in a well in Thiruketheeswaram closer to the site that was previously excavated.

According to the Office of the Police Media Spokesperson, the excavation is to begin on October 7 this year with the Department of Forensic Medicine, Department of Archeology, and the Survey Department. The police media unite added that the Mannar Magistrate visited the well close to the previous suspected mass grave site last week.

“The Mannar Magistrate visited the site upon a complaint received. There is already an ongoing investigation into alleged mass grave in Mannar located in close distance to the newly found well, and the investigations into previous suspected mass grave are being conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID),” the police revealed. The site has been identified with the help of the Survey Department. According to the police media unit, in addition to the ongoing investigations, the Mannar Megistrate has ordered to carry out excavation in the suspected site.

The earlier mass grave in Thirukketheeswaram in Mannar was first discovered in December 2013, when construction workers found two human skeletons whilst digging in Thirukketheeswaram. The excavations had been launched in early 2014, and upon excavations, remains of at least 80 people were unearthed.  Reportedly, wounds were discovered on the bodies which were believed to have been caused by gunshots. However, the excavations came to halt as it was claimed to be a graveyard. Families of the disappeared continued to demand further excavation of the mass grave. The Sri Lankan courts approved the request for further excavations, and also ordered an affidavit from the Mannar regional chairperson, who stated that there were no records of a cemetery in the area. There are ongoing investigations conducted into the case by the CID.

Courtesy - http://www.thesundayleader.lk/