Cloak of mystery over 16 bodies

By Athula Bandara and Upali Ananda

With a full-scale investigation underway into the discovery of 16 bullet-riddled bodies in Kebithigollewa, the police said the bodies were yet to be identified as none of the victims’ relatives had come forward to do so.

A senior police officer of the area said the bodies were at the Anuradhapura Hospital mortuary and the autopsy was to take place yesterday.

He said a special police team set up to investigate the killings was trying to establish the identity of the victims and the circumstances that led to their deaths.

Initial investigations had revealed that the victims were not from Kebettigollewa as there were no police complaints regarding missing persons from the area.

On Thursday evening police unearthed 16 bullet-riddled bodies buried at Kiriketuwewa near the Kebithigollewa – Horowupotana main road. Police said all the victims were wearing civilian clothes, and some had their hands tied behind their backs and blindfolded.

The spokesman said the victims were males and appeared to be between the ages of 25 and 40.

Meanwhile, people in the area are once again living in fear following the recovery of the bodies and urged defence authorities to step up security in the area. Police said additional police and military personnel had been deployed in the area following the incident.

Source: Dailymirror