Relatives identify Chemmani skeletons

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 June 1999, 19:54 GMT]
The skeletal remains exhumed from a gravesite in Chemmani were identified by their relatives as those of two motor mechanics who were reported missing after they were arrested by the Sri Lankan Army on August 19, 1996. They were employed at a garage on the Ariyalai-Chemmani road at that time.

The skeletal remains and pieces of cloth were found yesterday when the investigators began digging the gravesite.

One of the skeletons was identified as that of Rasaiah Satheeskumar, 29, of Meesalai north, by his wife. She identified the skeleton by a color mark of the shirt found in the grave.

She said her husband was wearing that shirt when he went missing. The identification was also confirmed by the garage owner, Ravi.

Ravi said that the torn bottom of the pair of trousers and the oil and grease stains on the cloth indicated that the trouser belonged to someone who worked in a garage and that he is convinced that it was Satheeskumar's skeletal remains.

Satheeskumar is father of three children.

The other skeleton was identified as that of Mahenthiran Babu, 23, by his father. Ravi, owner of the garage further confirmed the identification of the skeleton.

The exhumation of the Chemmani grave site began on Wedensday. The Magistrate, M.Illancheliyan, postponed further exhumation of gravesite and ordered the CID and forensic experts to submit a report to the courts before July 15.

New date for the exhumation will be announced by the courts when it meets on July 15.