Nine more skeletal remains, including eight believed to be children, were discovered today during the 20th day of Phase Three excavations at the Chemmani Siddhupatthi mass grave in Jaffna.
The latest findings bring the total number of skeletal remains identified at the site to 327, of which 311 have been excavated so far.
The Chemmani site is considered the second-largest mass grave discovered in Sri Lanka. In addition to skeletal remains, investigators have recovered items including baby milk bottles, toys, a doll, children’s shoes and school bags, raising concerns that a significant number of the victims were children.
According to excavation teams, the remains were found at depths ranging from one-and-a-half to two feet below the surface.
Excavations resumed on 27 April 2026 after a seven-month suspension, following the allocation of Rs. 21 million by the Sri Lankan government for the continuation of the investigation. The work is being carried out under the supervision of Forensic Archaeologist Raj Somadeva and Jaffna Judicial Medical Officer Selliah Pranavan, before Jaffna Magistrate Selvanayagam Leninkumar.
The excavation of the Chemmani Siddhupatthi mass grave first commenced on 15 May 2025 under court orders.
The existence of alleged mass burials at Chemmani first came to public attention in 1998 during the trial of Lance Corporal Somaratne Rajapaksa, who was convicted over the rape and murder of Tamil schoolgirl Krishanthy Kumaraswamy and four others. During court proceedings, he reportedly disclosed information about the burial of hundreds of victims in the Chemmani area.
Excavations at the site are continuing. (Newswire)
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