Excavations at a mass grave site near Siththupaththu Cemetery in Chemmani, Jaffna have unearthed human skeletal remains belonging to 501 individuals, marking what experts say is an unprecedented recovery from a single site in Sri Lanka.
Ongoing excavation work at a mass grave located near Siththupaththu Cemetery in the Jaffna district has resulted in the recovery of skeletal remains belonging to 501 individuals. The work, which continued on the 46th day of Phase 6 of the excavation process, proceeded under the supervision of Jaffna Magistrate S. Lenin Kumar.
According to Paramu Pushparatnam, former Senior Professor of History at the University of Jaffna, this recovery represents a significant milestone for the country. The professor indicated that the excavation of human remains belonging to more than 500 individuals from a single mass grave site has not been previously recorded in Sri Lanka, making the Chemmani discovery a notably large-scale recovery operation.
The excavation efforts at the Chemmani site continue as part of ongoing investigations into the mass grave, with judicial oversight ensuring the process adheres to proper procedures.
