Excavations at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna took a grim turn on Sunday with the discovery of skeletal remains, believed to be that of a child, found alongside a blue school bag, imprinted with the English alphabet, fragments of clothing, and small glass bangles.

This marks the first time personal belongings have been unearthed during the current phase of excavations, adding a poignant dimension to the ongoing investigation. The cloth pouch is reported to resemble school bags once distributed by NGOs to children in the conflict-affected North and East, strengthening suspicions that some of the remains may be of children.

The discovery brings the total number of human skeletal remains uncovered at the site to 33, of which 22 have already been exhumed for forensic examination.

Sunday’s operation was conducted under the supervision of Jaffna Magistrate A. Anandarajah, with Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Pranavan Sellaiah and archaeologist Professor Raj Somadeva present. It formed part of the fourth day of the resumed second phase of excavation work, which began in mid-May following a court order. The effort was prompted by a February discovery of human bone fragments by municipal workers preparing a land for a construction project.

Located on the outskirts of Jaffna, the Chemmani site is believed to be linked to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during the late 1990s, at the height of the North East conflict. The site first drew international attention in 1998 after former soldier Somaratne Rajapakse claimed that hundreds of Tamil civilians had been buried there by the military.

Excavations are being conducted in 15-day phases and are expected to continue after a scheduled short break. Soil testing by the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) and satellite imagery analysis are aiding the forensic investigation. Recently cleared zones, identified through this imagery, are being prepared for further digs.

While the government has earmarked Rs. 12 million for the operation, officials say only part of the funding has been disbursed to date.