Clothing and other items that have been unearthed along with human skeletal remains from the mass grave site at Sittupatti in Chemmani, Jaffna will go on public display for identification to facilitate the investigation.
Such a display happens for the very first time, on 05 August from 1.30 pm to 5.00 pm at the site, and Jaffna magistrate A.A. Anandaraja has issued an order for the public to inform courts or the CID if they identify the items.
Among the around 50 items retrieved are infant feeding bottles, toys, children’s footwear and schoolbags, correspondents report.
By the end of the 27th day of second stage excavations at Chemmani, skeletal remains of 112 persons, including children, were retrieved, with another 10 having surfaced, said lawyer for the victims V.S. Niranjan.
Ranitha Gnanaraja, another lawyer, said that since no Defence Ministry permission had come by 29 July, the Sri Jayewardenepura University will carry out a scanning of the area for any more human remains buried at the site.
Excavations began on 15 May under the supervision of forensic archaeologist Prof. Raj Somadeva and Jaffna JMO Selliah Pranawan.