Sri Lanka Mass Grave Yields 141 Skeletons, Baby Bottle, Schoolbag in Jaffna

A mass grave containing 141 human skeletons, including children’s items, has been discovered in a cremation ground in northern Sri Lanka, officials confirmed.

The site, located in Chemmani near Jaffna town, the cultural land of the Tamil minority, was secured as a crime scene in June after workers discovered bones while digging for a new electric crematorium.

Forensic experts say the shallow, scattered burials, mostly without clothing, indicate a mass grave rather than regular interments.

Evidence of Child Victims Found

Among the remains, investigators found children’s clothing, toddlers’ dresses, socks, footwear, tiny bead bangles and a baby powder tray. Tests confirmed that one skeleton, discovered with a schoolbag, belonged to a girl between four and six years old.

Out of the 141 skeletons, about 135 showed no traces of clothing, with only one set of adult clothes recovered. The remains were buried at a depth of roughly 1.5 meters (4.9 feet), often disorganised and overlapping.

The identities of the dead, as well as the cause and timing of their deaths, remain unclear. However, rights groups and residents believe the victims may have been civilians who went missing during Sri Lanka’s civil war, which lasted from 1983 to 2009.

Chemmani was a key military zone during the conflict, with the Sri Lankan army maintaining a heavy presence for more than a decade. Several Tamil armed groups and an Indian peacekeeping force also operated in the region at various times. 

The court is expected to receive further forensic reports. (Inputs from AP)

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