Investigators yet to shed light on Matale mass grave

Yasaratne Gamage

The Police have unearthed 92 human skeletons together with skulls and 13 skeletal remains at the Matale Hospital premises’ mass grave, Police media spokesman SSP Prishantha Jayakody said.

The evidence of a mass grave first came to light on November 23 last year when workers digging the ground to lay the foundation for a new bio gas unit found skeletal remains.

Matale Police and Matale Hospital judicial medical officer Ajith Jayasena commenced investigations as directed by Matale Magistrate Chathurika de Silva. The Inspector General of Police also directed the CID to commence a separate investigation.

Accordingly, from time to time since November 23 last year, 92 human skulls and skeletons have been exhumed.

The Police and Matale judicial medical officer are to produce a progress report of their investigations to the magistrate on January 30. The accurate information on how and when these skeletons were buried are yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile SSP Jayakody said evidence and the analysis report from the forensic specialists regarding the dating of the exhumed bones and skeletal remains were in progress.

He said if necessary, support from foreign forensic scientists would be obtained.